True Love
by HsmZanessaFansite
Summary: Gabriella Montez is in a wheelchair and has family past that no one knows about who lives in foster care. Troy Bolton lost his family due car accident and moves into Gabriella's foster home. Will Troy help Gabriella? Will love blossom or drama happen?
1. New Kid

**Hey. I know, I know. A new story? What about the others? Honestly, I have no idea about the others. I don't really have ideas for them so I thought about starting a new one. **

**This story is almost like my YouTube series, "Do Fairytales Exist?" but somehow different. Yes, it's about a girl in a wheelchair but it has a different plot. I hope you give this story a chance and I think you will enjoy it as much as I hope you will.**

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**Chapter 1**

**New Kid**

Gabriella Montez is a girl with a disability and is in a wheelchair. She was not born with the disability. At age 3, she had to have back surgeries which caused infections which then eventually caused Gabriella to be paralyzed from the waist down. But being paraplegic didn't stop her from living her life and having a social life. Even though she isn't at the top of the social status, she does have a few friends. But what no one knows is that her life outside of the school is all but perfect.

Now at the age of 16, Gabriella is waking up first thing in the morning with a little boy jumping on her bed.

"Gabby!" The boy grinned. "Are you awake now?"

"Aiden," Gabriella groaned opening her eyes looking at him, "What time is it?"

Aiden smiled, "It's 10. The new kid is moving in today."

"Right," Gabriella looked at him. "Well, what are we waiting for? Get off my bed."

"Yes Gabby," Aiden grinned before getting of the bed before running out of Gabriella's room.

Gabriella closed her eyes for a second before groaning knowing that Aiden will just pop right back in or even bring the other boys in with him. She just opened her eyes and pulled the covers off from top of her and slowly started moving to the edge of her bed and transferring into her wheelchair wheeling herself to the bathroom that is connected with her bedroom.

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Troy Bolton was looking outside the passenger window just watching the outside world go past him as he is on his way to his new home.

Troy Bolton, 16 year old who just lost his parents and sister in a car accident. He has no family to take him in so he's on his way to live in a foster home. He heard that this place had few young boys but a girl his age so he thought it wouldn't be that bad.

The driver pulled over in front of a nice size house, "This will be your new home young man. Now if you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks Daryl but I think I'll be ok," Troy smiled slightly before getting out and retrieving his bags from the trunk before turning towards the house, "Here goes nothing."

Grabbing his bags, he starts walking up the pathway turning around seeing Daryl giving him a reassuring smile before driving away. Troy turned around taking a deep breath before knocking on the door.

Not even a minute later, the door opened and a middle aged woman answered it, "Oh you must be Troy. Please come in. I'm Sandy, you're new foster Mom."

Troy smiled politely before walking in the house looking around at his surroundings, "This is a nice place."

"Oh why thank you Troy," Sandy smiled, "Oh I'm terribly sorry to hear about your parents and sister."

"It's ok." Troy smiled slightly, "Things happen for a reason."

Sandy sees that it was a hard subject for Troy to speak about, "Well let me introduce you to the other kids."

Troy nodded placing his things on the floor near the front door before following Sandy into the living room where there were about four boys around the ages of 5 to 8, watching TV.

"Boys," The four boys turned to Sandy before grinning seeing Troy, "Troy, this is Tony who is 5, Bryan who is 6, Tyler who is 7, and finally Aiden who is 8 years old. Boys, this is Troy who is 16 so none of you bother him like you do with Gabriella. Speaking of Gabriella, where is that girl?"

"I'll go get her!" Aiden grinned before running out of the room screaming, "Gabriella!"

Sandy looked at Troy, "Aiden is very close to Gabriella like she was his older sister."

Troy nodded, "That's cool. Has Aiden and Gabriella known each other for long?"

"Gabriella has been in foster care every since she was 2 years old and Aiden came when he was 2 so they've been together for 6 years and Gabriella knows how it feels to be Aiden," Troy nodded smiling, "Oh there's something you should know about Gabriella…"

But before she could say anything, she heard screaming coming from the hallway, "AIDEN SLOW DOWN!"

Troy grew confused until he saw Aiden racing a girl in a wheelchair into the living room. She looked like she was holding for her dear life onto her chair before Aiden did a sharp stop.

"She's here!" Aiden grinned.

"I'm gonna hurt you!" Gabriella slowly started getting her breathing back to normal, "Sandy!"

Sandy rolled her eyes, "Aiden, how many times do I have to tell you to not speed Gabriella around the house like that? Someone can get hurt."

"No one got hurt," Aiden shrugged looking at Gabriella, "She looks fine to me."

"Ugh. First he wakes me up at 10 and now he almost kills me!"

"I love you too." Aiden grinned before plopping himself back onto the couch to watch TV with the other boys.

"Well anyways since that's over," Sandy looked at Gabriella, "Gabriella, this is Troy Bolton who will be staying with us. Troy, this is Gabriella."

Gabriella looked up to see probably the most handsome guy that she has ever laid eyes on, "H-hi."

Troy smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Gabriella looked back at Sandy, "Which one is going to be his room?"

"I was thinking Troy could stay in the room next to yours since you are the only one on the first floor," Sandy smiled, "you could finally get some company."

"That's fine with me," Troy smiled.

Gabriella nodded smiling looking at Troy before turning to look at the boys. Troy looked at her confused but then she looked back to him.

"I'll show you where your room is."

"Ok," Troy smiled before going to the front door picking up his suitcases, "Lead the way."

Sandy smiled but then realized something, "Oh Gabriella, Nate called. He wanted me to tell you that he wouldn't be able to come tomorrow."

"Not a big shocker there," Gabriella sighed before wheeling away with Troy following her.

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"We will be sharing a bathroom since it's connected with both of our rooms. We can leave the doors open and when one of us in the bathroom, we can close the doors. It'll be easier that way instead of always knocking to check."

Troy nodded, "Sounds good."

"Well, I'm going to let you to your unpacking," Gabriella's phone started ringing and she picked it up, "Hello…Hi Nate…Yeah, Sandy told me…I know, I understand…You have things to do…Don't worry about it…Bye Nate."

Gabriella hung up the phone sighing before turning around about to leave the room but Troy called her back.

"You know, I could use the company. I mean if you want, you can stay," Troy smiled not wanting for some reason Gabriella to be sad and hung up in her room all day.

Gabriella turned her chair to look at him, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I mean, unless you want to go hang out with 5 to 8 year olds all day…"

"Oh they can live without me," Gabriella giggled, "I hang out with them all day anyways."

Troy chuckled, "Boring, heh?"

"You have no idea," Gabriella smiled before wheeling over to Troy's bed and transferring over slowly, "So how much stuff you got?"

"Ehh, not that much," Troy spoke as he opened one of his suitcases.

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"Ah finally done," Troy pushed his final suitcase to the side and looks at Gabriella, "If you don't mind me asking, who's Nate?"

"Nate is a long story," she sighed, "Let's just say, he's my so called brother."

"Brother?" Troy sat up on the floor looking at her as she was sitting on his bed, "If you have family, why are you here?"

"I have no family," Gabriella sighed, "not since I was 2 years old."

Troy looked at her concerned, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"It's fine. I think it's time for me to finally talk about it with someone," Gabriella looked at him sighing, "It all started…."

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**How did you like the first chapter? I know it's probably a little boring but I didn't know how to start the story. There will be drama in this story. If you have watched "Do Fairytales Exist?" you should know that I will put lots of drama in it but remember it's a different story line. Please review and let me know if you would like me to continue this story.**


	2. Gabriella's Story

**Chapter 2**

**Gabriella's Story**

_"It's fine. I think it's time for me to finally talk about it with someone," Gabriella looked at him sighing, "It all started…"_

Aiden pushed through the door with the other boys, "It all started when Gabriella met me and knew she couldn't leave me and…"

Aiden saw the look on Gabriella's face and stumbled to push the boys out of the room and ran out of the room after them. Gabriella rolled her eyes as they closed the door after they were muttering 'sorry.'

"Boys," she looked back down to Troy who was sitting in front of her on the floor, "Ok where was I? Oh right, it all started just the day I was born. My parents were all thrilled of having a daughter after having my brother. But that changed when I was born. You see I was trouble, not even the moment after birth. I was trouble before birth. You see, I was breech meaning I was in my Mom's womb upside down so when my Mom had to give birth with me, she had to have a C-section. But that wasn't all, I was born with a clubbed foot, undeveloped jaw, and cleft palette."

Troy looked at her astonished, "Wow. But that's not all, is it? I mean there's got to be more to it for you to be here. I mean, I'm just guessing, you don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to. I was just wondering."

"No, you were right. That wasn't everything but I need to talk about it," Gabriella sighed looking up before continuing, "After that, everything seemed like it was going fine. My jaw developed, the cleft palette fixed itself, and I had surgery for my foot. My parents were finally happy that they had me, their daughter. But then everything changed 2 years later when I was diagnosed with spinal scoliosis meaning I had an abnormal curvature of the spine. It also meant that I would need surgery but my parents couldn't do it anymore. They claimed that they already wasted money on me when I was born so they gave me up."

Gabriella finally felt tears in her eyes and then placed her hands on Troy's bed as she looked down. Troy looked up at her and saw the tears in her eyes before he stood up and sat next to her looking at her before placing his arm around her shoulders.

"You don't have to continue if you don't want."

"I have to. I have to let this out," Gabriella looked at him, "When I was put up for adoption, no one wanted a girl who had problems and needed money to fix her up. But then Sandy came around, she didn't care. Actually she knew what I was going through; her sister had the same thing I had. So Sandy took me in, adopted me and spent all the money for my surgery which caused infections, so I needed more surgeries. It led to more complications and there you go, it led to me being paralyzed from the waist down."

Troy smiled softly at her, "and Nate?"

"Nate was only 7 when I was given up but he didn't care. I might have only been 2 but I remember what he said to my parents," Gabriella looked down and then looked up at the ceiling, "He said, 'Mommy why do we have her in our family? It was all good until she was born and then she started ruining our family.' But just two years ago, he decided to pay me a visit saying that he didn't mean anything he's said about me. He realized that he was being stupid and wanted to finally be a big brother that he was supposed to be. I was willing to give him a shot so I did. He told me about his life growing up and that our parents had another two kids. A girl and a boy, I guess you could say they finally got the girl they always wanted.

Gabriella looked down, "But ever since he came back to my life, I was still the second girl in his life. He may have made our plans twice or even three times if I was lucky but every other time; he always makes some excuse that he couldn't make it. That's why I call him my so called brother because he's not really my brother. Aiden is more of my brother than Nate will ever be to me and Sandy will always mean more to me than just my foster or adopted Mom."

Troy didn't know what to say or do except just hold her. He looked down at her kissed her head and she looked up at him with tears in her eyes and he nodded and she moved closer to him and placed her head in his chest crying. He wrapped his arms around her resting his chin on her head.

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Gabriella pulled away from him wiping her tears, "I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet."

"It's not a problem. I have more shirts," Troy chuckled.

Gabriella looked around giggling, "Wow, I haven't cried like that, well since Nate came back and finally told me the whole story."

Troy looked at her confused.

"What?" Gabriella looked at him. "You didn't expect me to remember all of that when I was born, now did you? Well Nate wasn't the only one who told me the whole story. Sandy told me when I was around 5 and kept telling me every time I would ask her about it."

"That makes sense now," Troy chuckled, "unless you had like psychic powers since you've been born for you to remember all of that."

"You know, that would be cool and all but I'm not that smart," she giggled. "Oh just to let you know, no one knows that I live in foster care. At least no one at school who cares knows."

"Wait, what?" he looked at her confused, "You do have friends, don't you?

Gabriella looked down, "I have about 3 friends. The rest of the school, on the other hand; half of them feel sorry for me or hate me because they think I think that I am better than them."

Troy placed his hand on her face to have her look at him, "If they treat you like that then you are better than them. But now you don't only have 3 friends, you now have 4 if you include me."

Gabriella smiled slightly at him, "Thank you."

"It's not a problem," he smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

The door opened and Sandy walked in looking at them. She smiled at them as they turned their heads to look at her. They smiled at her before letting go of each other.

"Well I see you two are getting along well," she smiled, "I just wanted to let you know that I was just going to go to the store for an hour. Could you watch the boys?"

Gabriella looked at Troy and he nodded, then she looked back at Sandy, "Sure."

"Great. I'll be back in an hour or so." She smiled before leaving the door.

"Four boys?" Troy looked at her, "Do they behave?"

Gabriella giggled, "You have to know how to handle them."

She grabbed her chair before slowly transferring herself into it. She fixed her legs back onto the foot plate before placing her seatbelt on and looked at Troy motioning him to follow her. He then got up off of his bed to follow her.

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"GABBY!" Tyler screamed.

Gabriella groaned and looked at him, "What?"

"Troy is being mean!"

Gabriella looked at Troy confused and saw him crossing his arms, "All I did was beat him in basketball."

"But you're supposed to let the little kid win!" Tyler whined.

"Aye, stop whining," Gabriella rubbed her head, "You're all giving me a headache. Go play with the boys who are playing soccer over there."

"Fine," Tyler crossed his arms and stomped over to the other boys.

Troy sat down in the chair next to Gabriella. Gabriella glared at him and playfully slapped his arm.

"Owe," Troy rubbed his arm, "What was that for?"

"You're supposed to let the little kid win so he wouldn't whine for the rest of the day especially Tyler!" Gabriella groaned, "You don't want Tyler to whine. He is one of the whiniest kids alive and won't stop whining until he gets his way."

"Well, I'm sorry," he put his hands up defensive, "How was I supposed to know? I had an older sister, not a little brother."

Gabriella shook her head and looked out to where the boys were playing soccer. Aiden turned to look at her and waved at her. She smiled and waved at him.

"You guys really are close, aren't you?"

"Yeah we are," Gabriella looked at Troy, "He had almost the same story as me except without the whole wheelchair thing."

Troy nodded as Gabriella looked back at the boys. He smiled. _How could a girl who's been through so much still be happy like she is? She is definitely an inspiration. How can people at school treat her like they do? Well, that's all gonna change when I start because I'm gonna protect her with my life. I just have to. She's been more than I have and it's time for her to have a normal teenage life._

**So, what did you think? About Gabriella's life story, everything that happened to her happened to me. Well not the family part, but the things that led me to be in a wheelchair. I was breech; I did have cleft palette, undeveloped jaw, and a clubbed foot when I was born. Then when I was 3, I was diagnosed with spinal scoliosis. I just wanted to let you all know that. But I didn't have the same family history that she did. I have parents and an older sister so it's totally different. **

**What do you think is going to happen when Troy starts school? Will he protect her like he says he will? Tell me if you have any ideas for this story. Thank you. Don't forget to Review what you think.**


	3. Troy's First Day

**Chapter 3**

**Troy's First Day**

"Aiden, wake up." Gabriella was shaking him. "It's time for school."

"Nooooo," Aiden whined, "School…bad."

"Come on Aiden, you're only 8." Gabriella sighed, "This is the time in your life that school is fun and you need to enjoy it. Tyler, Bryan, and Tony are up already."

Aiden rolled over and opened his eyes to look at Gabriella, "The new boy up?"

"Troy?" Aiden nodded, "Yeah he's up."

Aiden groaned and started getting up leaving Gabriella in smiles, "Can I get a hug?"

"Sure buddy," Gabriella smiled leaning over giving him a hug then pulled back, "Now go get ready."

"Ok," Aiden smiled before getting of the bed and going out of his room, "Good morning Troy."

"Morning buddy," Troy smiled before going into Aiden's room, "How do you do it?"

Gabriella turned around surprised to see Troy there, "Do what?"

"Well first, how did you get up the stairs?" Troy looked at her confused, "and how are you able to wake that kid up? Sandy told me to do it yesterday and it took me almost an hour to do it."

Gabriella giggled, "Like I said, you need to know how to handle them. Also, me being up here means that you haven't seen the elevator."

"There's an elevator here?" Troy looked shocked.

"Come on pretty boy," Gabriella giggled, "You still got stuff to learn about this house."

Gabriella started wheeling towards the room and motioned Troy to move to the side which he gladly did. She wheeled out of the room with Troy following her. She wheeled over to a wall with a door on it which confused Troy.

"Isn't that just a closet?"

"Watch," Gabriella put her finger up before she opened the door and pressed the down button and it opened, "See. Now you have to use the stairs, the elevator can only fit me."

"Ok," Troy looked surprised.

"Oh and do me a favor. Close the door." Gabriella said as she got in the elevator and pressed the button that was on the inside to go down. "See you downstairs."

Troy smiled before closing the door. _Pretty boy? _He chuckled. _Sounds good. Especially coming from her. Woh Troy, you only known her for what? 2 days? _Troy shook his head before going down the stairs and opened the door that looked like the door upstairs and saw Gabriella waiting in there.

"About time someone opened the door," Gabriella giggled before wheeling out of it and turned around closing the door before turning around, "So you ready for your big day?"

"What? The first day of a new school?" Gabriella nodded giggling, "No. I got you, right? Nothing to be worried about."

"I didn't ask you if you were worried," Gabriella giggled seeing his face, "Troy relax, you'll be fine. Like you said, you got me. Until you make other friends and then you'll forget all about me."

Gabriella sighed before wheeling past Troy. Troy watched her confused. _Did she really think that was going to happen? _Troy went after Gabriella and grabbed onto her handles to stop her and went around to the front of her and knelt down.

"You don't really that I would do that. Do you?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I've seen it happen before. I don't know. Something tells me that you could do the same. I mean, look at you. All the girls are going to be over you. The guys will probably want you to try out for some sports team and then you'll be popular and forget all about me."

"Hey," he took one of her hands, "That will never happen, ok? I promise you, I will stick by you the entire time and don't go saying it's because I feel sorry for you because well I do but then again I know the real you even though we just met 2 days ago. You have to believe me Gabriella."

Gabriella looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes and smiled slightly, "I believe you but promise is a big word."

"I know," he nodded, "but believe me, I'm not a guy who breaks their promises."

Gabriella smiled as he gave her a kiss on the forehead. Troy pulled away and smiled at her before standing back up. Gabriella knew that things were going to be ok or at least she hoped.

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Gabriella wheeled through the front doors and looked up at Troy, "Here's East High."

"It's huge," Troy looked around, "and this is only the lobby."

Gabriella giggled and then heard squealing and she covered her ears. Troy looked at her confused but then pointed at three girls that were running over to them. Troy looked at them and understood right away as they each hugged Gabriella.

"How was your weekend?" A blonde girl pulled back from the hug.

"Did anything exciting happen?" An African-American girl asked.

"Did the new guy move in? Is he cute?" A girl with black hair asked.

"Woh let's not all go at once," she giggled, "One, my weekend was good. The boys were well the normal little brats. Two, nothing really exciting except number three which yes he moved in and just to let you know I'm not asking the second question because he's right next to me."

They all looked next to Gabriella and were all embarrassed at themselves and tried giggling it off. Gabriella looked at them like they were crazy knowing that they were embarrassed.

"Troy these are my crazy friends, Sharpay, Taylor, and Alex **(Selena Gomez)**. Girls, this is Troy, my new best friend," she giggled seeing their reaction, "Woh ok, he's my new guy best friend."

"That's what we thought you said," Sharpay giggled and looked at Troy, "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Troy smiled, "all three of you."

"GABSTER!" A guy screamed from down the hall.

"Oh here he comes now," Gabriella rolled her eyes giggling.

The guy ran up to them giving each girl a hug and Gabriella a bigger and shook her hair a little. Gabriella groaned and glared at him.

"Chad, if you don't like getting your hair messed up, then don't mess with mine or will I have to get Aiden on you like the last time you were at my house," she smirked.

"You wouldn't!" he started motioning over his hair like he was protecting it, "Don't mess with my baby."

All the girls rolled their eyes and Troy looked at the guy confused. The guy stopped with his hair and looked at him.

"You must be the new boy," he put his hand out for him to shake it. "I'm Chad."

"That's me," Troy chuckled shaking his hand, "I'm Troy."

"That means you have to live with those ferocious four boys," Chad patted his shoulder, "I feel for ya man."

"Chad, they just don't like you," Gabriella giggled, "Especially since you squashed their soccer ball, thank you very much."

"That was two years ago!" Chad got defended, "Tony and Bryan were too young to remember. Why do they still hold the grudge?"

Taylor looked at him, "Chad, you're not very hard to forget with that hair of yours. Of course they're going to keep their grudge. Sometimes I wonder if you ever were dropped on your head when you were younger."

"I think he was," Sharpay giggled.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the loser squad," a voice behind them started talking.

Everyone turned around to see who it was and Chad was the first to speak, "Richardson, don't you have something better to do? Like oh I don't know, be the worst basketball player and cost the big game like you do every single year."

The guy glared at Chad and moved closer to him, "Want to say that again Danforth?"

"Well, it's true. We would've won if you just passed me the ball but no you had to try and be the big man and try to make an impossible shot and you missed it," he smirked, "but we're going to win this year because someone is not on the team anymore."

"Whatever Danforth, there is no way the team can replace me. I was the best player on the team." He backed away from Chad and looked at Gabriella then at Chad, "You know Danforth, you would be popular if you didn't hang out with a goody-two shoe, handicap bitch."

He was about to walk away but Troy saw the look in Gabriella's face. He didn't like that look. He knew what he had to do. Gabriella looked up at him and saw his angry face and she shook her head but that didn't stop him.

"Richardson right?"

"The name is Mark," the guy turned around, "What's it to you?"

"Well I'm the new guy and I was actually kind of wondering if you could show me how to open a locker," he hid smirk.

"It's like any other kind of locker," he looked confused but went over to a locker and tried opening up one, "Uh this one isn't working. We're going to have to try another one."

Chad knew what Troy's plan was and smirked knowing that, that was his own locker, "Actually new guy, I can show you how to open a locker."

Chad walked over to the locker and put the combination in and slammed open the door which hit Mark right in the face and he fell right to the ground. He started groaning as he was on the floor. Troy and Chad smirked at each other before walking over to him and bent down to his size.

"Now if you want to mess with Gabriella again, you're going to have to deal with the new guy again," Troy smirked as he patted Mark's cheek, "You understand?"

Mark glared at Troy but nodded anyway. Troy patted his cheek again before standing back up with Chad and they walked back over to the girls. Gabriella looked at Troy and sighed shaking her head.

"What?" Troy looked at her confused, "I told you that I was going to protect you and I didn't like that guy. It's not like I hit him or something."

"Come on Gabriella, give the guy a break," Alex looked at Gabriella.

Gabriella looked at the girls and then looked at Troy who was giving her a cute 'sorry' face and she giggled smiling softly, "Alright fine. We better get you your information and get to homeroom."

"Now that's the girl I know for the past 2 days," Troy chuckled and then placed his hands on her handles and started pushing her, "Where to, boss?"

Gabriella giggled and showed him the way to the office. Sharpay, Taylor, Alex, and Chad stayed behind just watching them. They already saw a different side of Gabriella that they've never seen but liked seeing. She was happy, like a real happiness.

Mark saw this and glared them down, "That guy doesn't know who he messed with nor did Gabriella. Gabriella Montez, you're going down."

He then got up off the ground and walked the other direction with a smirk on his face as well as an angry face. _No one messes with Mark Richardson._

**So what did you think of this chapter? Do you think there will be drama coming? What's going to happen? Is Troy going to stay true to his word about protecting her? Tell me what you think will happen or any ideas that you would like to see in this story. Please review.**


	4. Friends Before Enemies

**Chapter 4**

**Friends Before Enemies**

"Troy!" Gabriella giggled as she was on her bed.

"Say it," Troy was beside Gabriella tickling her sides, "If you say it, I'll stop. So what do you say?"

"Fine!" Gabriella groaned, "Troy Bolton is the hottest, sweetest guy that I have ever met and lived with."

Troy smiled and kissed her cheek before stopping tickling her, "That a girl."

"You're mean," Gabriella sat up in her bed, "You're the only guy that I have ever lived with other than my brother and father but that was 14 years ago."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Troy chuckles sitting up next to her, "So what's up for today?"

"I had no plans," Gabriella shrugged and looked at Troy, "we could bring the boys to the park?"

"You're too good for them," Troy chuckled, "But sure let's go."

Gabriella smiled as Troy jumped off the bed and grabbed her chair moving it closer to the bed so Gabriella could transfer in. _He's so good to me and we've only known each other for a week. This is too good to be true. I'm not giving it all in because I did that once and that was one of biggest mistakes of my life. We might be friends now but anything can change in a second. Like I said, I've been through that before._

"Gab?" Troy said taking Gabriella out of her thoughts, "You ok?"

Gabriella nodded and faked a smile before sliding over to the edge of the bed to be able to transfer over. Troy smiled watching her transferring over and helped her put her legs onto her footplate.

"You're getting good at that," Gabriella giggled.

"Yeah well I need to learn because missy, I'm going to be helping you a lot," Troy looked up at her grinning.

Gabriella shook her head giggling, "Well that's if I let you help me."

She pushed him playfully before racing out of her room fast knowing Troy was going be chasing her. She was right because Troy was right behind her as she raced into the kitchen and then into the living room hiding behind the couch which was hard to do with a wheelchair.

"Come out, come out wherever you are Ms. Gabriella Montez," Troy grinned seeing the handle of her chair, "Now where is she? I wonder," he slowly went to sit on the couch and then turned around to pop up, "Boo!"

Gabriella jumped and then looked up giggling, "How do you always find me?"

"Well your handle is always popping out wherever you hide or at least something is sticking out somewhere," he chuckled, "Now where are those boys?"

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"Aiden, don't push Tony down!" Gabriella looked around, "Tyler don't eat the sand! Where's Bryan?"

"Still can't keep those kids in control," a voice behind Gabriella said.

Gabriella closed her eyes before turning around and then opening them up again, "What do you want Mark?"

"I was just having a nice walk and then I saw you and the little brats," he smirked, "It's so adorable that you take good care of them since their mommy and daddy doesn't want to do it."

"Go to hell," Gabriella glared at him, "Oh wait you're already there."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and turned around finding the boys running around like maniacs but Bryan was still missing but so was Troy. Hopefully Bryan is with him. She really hoped she was.

"BOYS!" Gabriella screamed to get their attention, "Stop or we're going home!"

"Maybe I can get them to stop. I mean they always used to listen to me," he smirked again, "Oh boys, if you stop, I'll give you a punch in the stomach."

"MARK!" Gabriella screamed, "LEAVE! Right now!"

"What? That's how I always used to do it when you know, we were friends."

"Yeah and then you became the biggest jackass ever and turned your back on me," Gabriella sighed, "But then again it was my fault to think that once we get to high school, you would've stayed friends with me."

"Hey, at least I never spilled that you're a foster kid," he smirked.

Gabriella sighed, "The one thing that you're actually the old Mark with."

"Whatever geek," Mark smirked, "You should have never thought that I would've stayed friends with you once I became popular. You were so stupid to think that."

"Like I said, Mark Elliot Richardson, I don't care," she shook her head, "Eventually I would've found out that you were an ass, so actually I'm kind of happy that we are no longer friends. Plus I have a new friend and actually he's way better than you will ever be."

"Who? The new guy?" Mark started laughing hysterically, "That's so funny." Then he went serious. "No one is better than me and wait; he knows you're a foster kid? You never tell anyone that you live in a foster care."

"Actually yes I did tell him and why would you care?" she shook her head, "We're not friends anymore and we will never be again. Now if you would excuse me, I need to watch the boys."

"Fine but let me tell you one last thing," he smirked on the inside, "Don't get too used to have the new boy around. Remember what happened with me. Why wouldn't he do the exact same thing?"

Gabriella looked at him and he patted her shoulder before walking away. Gabriella just watched him walk away and then turned back around. _Don't let him get to you Gabriella. He's just trying to get under your skin. Troy is different than that asshole. But what if he's right? No. This is what he wants you to do Gabriella. Just enjoy what you have and don't let it get it in your head._

"Hey Gabriella," Troy spoke, "I took Bryan to get some ice cream for everyone," Troy looked at her concerned at her face, "Are you ok?"

Gabriella shook her head to get the thoughts out of her head, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Gabriella nodded. "Alright. Boys! You want ice cream?"

All the boys ran over quickly grabbing each of their ice cream. Troy laughed and handed one to Gabriella which she smiled gratefully when she accepted it. Troy smiled back at her when he started licking his cone before sitting down on the bench with the boys.

"Gabby?" Aiden looked at her, "Why was Mark here?"

"Mark?" Troy looked at Aiden and then looked at Gabriella, "Mark Richardson?"

"Troy don't worry about it," she sighed, "Aiden, he only wanted to say hi."

"No he didn't," Aiden looked at Gabriella, "I saw the way you were looking at him. It was just like the last time he was at our house."

"Wait, what?" Troy was totally confused, "When has he ever been to our house?"

"Oh you don't know?" Tyler spoke after taking a lick, "Mark used to be Gabriella's best friend until she started the big school."

Troy was officially shocked now and he looked at Gabriella and she looked away, "Best friend? You were friends with that guy?"

"It's not important," she looked at him, "Can we not talk about it? At least not hear or right now."

Troy sighed seeing the look in her eyes, "Fine but we will be talking about this later."

Gabriella sighed and nodded knowing that this was going to another long story to tell to Troy. It's not as long as her story, ok maybe it's even longer and she was willing to tell him it. But what happened at his first day of school, she worried that he might start a fight with Mark. She knew he was going to but she knew Troy was not going to let this go until he knew the whole story so that's what she's going to give him. The whole story.

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Troy opened the door and walked right in without knocking, then closed the door turning around, "Alright spill. What's up with you and Richardson?"

"The truth?" Troy nodded, "Before high school, Mark and I were I guess you can say we were best friends."

"But how?" Troy sat down on her bed confused, "You guys are like enemies now and he's an ass especially towards you."

"You remember before your first day, I was worried about you becoming popular and leaving me behind because I've been through that before?" Troy nodded once again, "That's what happened with Mark. Once we entered high school, he met his basketball buddies and ditched me. We stopped being friends ever since, actually what Aiden said about the last time that he was here was the last straw. We had a big fight and he said some things and I knew right then and there, I lost the guy I once knew and we were enemies ever since."

"But Chad," Troy was still confused, "isn't he a basketball player?"

"Yes but he wasn't like them, he was a nice guy who happened to be friends with Sharpay, Taylor, and Alex," Gabriella smiled slightly, "they took me as their friend right away especially knowing after what happened with Mark and me. This is why Chad has a bigger grudge against him then the rest of the team. The rest of the team are still his friends even though he keeps blowing the most important games of their high school careers."

"Wow," he looked at her, "now I understand why you were so worried about me being like that but Gabs, you have to know, I'm not going to be like that. I promise you. You have to trust me, alright?"

Gabriella looked down and then looked at him with tears in her eyes. He saw the tears and placed his arm around her bringing her close to him. She placed her head on his chest and placing her hand by her head as he placed his chin on her head after placing a kiss on her head.

**So what did you think? Are you shocked? Mark and Gabriella were friends? What exactly did Mark say in their final talk as "friends?" Will Troy be different? Tell me what you think. Please review. **


	5. New Basketball Star

**Chapter 5**

**New Basketball Star**

"So Gabriella told you about her whole friendship with Mark?" Chad looked at him.

Troy looked at him, "Yeah and I can't believe that they used to be friends."

"I know," Chad nodded, "I hated him ever since that moment. But then he kept messing up the games and then that gave me more reasons to hate him and here we are."

Troy nodded as he was dribbling the ball, "You know, at my old school, I used to be pretty good at basketball."

He smiled before going to a 3-pointer spot and leaped tossing the ball towards the net which it went right in. Chad watched him do so and was in shock and looked at Troy with a big grin on his face.

"What?" Troy looked at him confused but a little scared.

"You should go meet the coach," Chad started jumping up and down like a kid, "You would totally make the team and our team needs someone like you."

"I don't know, man." Troy looked at him, "I promised Gabriella that I wouldn't be like Mark."

"You won't be," Chad looked at him, "Look at me. I'm a basketball player and you don't see me being a jackass like him. So don't worry about that. Come on man, just try. Please, I'm begging you."

"I'll think about it," Troy looked at him, "I have to talk to Gabriella about it first."

"Don't get me wrong I love Gabriella," Chad looked at Troy, "but why?"

Troy sighed, "So she doesn't think that I'm going to turn my back on her like Richardson did. Sometimes I wonder why she's friends with you."

Troy chuckled as Chad was trying to think of why he said that. Once he understood, he made a face that Troy fell to the floor laughing about. Chad just rolled his eyes and then laughed himself. Little did they know that there was someone behind the bleachers with a camera.

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The halls were extra crowded for some reason which confused the girls. Everyone seemed to be talking about a new basketball star. There were whispers that the guy was hot and seemed pretty good by the picture. The picture? Then, they saw a bunch of people hanging around a wall looking at a poster. The girls looked at each other and shrugged moving over there. As they did, they were shocked of what they saw actually more shocked of who.

They were looking at a poster of Troy making a shot with the words "New Basketball Star?" on the bottom of it. Sharpay, Taylor, and Alex looked at Gabriella to see her reaction but there was no reaction. She showed no emotion whatsoever which either surprised them or scared them.

"Gabriella?" Sharpay finally spoke.

"What?" Gabriella looked at them and they gave her a look, "Oh that. That doesn't bother me."

Taylor wanted to try and lighten the mood, "You know this doesn't mean Troy will become Mark, right?"

Gabriella had tears in her eyes as she looked at the girls and nodded her head slowly before wheeling away. They were about to go after her but then they saw Troy coming their way. They knew this was either going to be bad or good. They hoped it was going to be good.

Troy looked at her confused. She looked up and showed him the tears in her eyes before slowly wheeling away. He was still confused but then he saw Sharpay, Taylor, and Alex who nodded their heads to the poster on the wall. Troy looked at the poster and his eyes widened as he turned around quickly and runs in the direction Gabriella was going.

"Gabby, wait!" Troy screamed as he saw her and ran up to her to stop her, "It's not what it looks like."

Gabriella looked up at him, "Oh really? It looks like that you're the new basketball star."

"I don't know who did that but it's not true. At least not yet anyways," Troy saw the look on her face, "No no no, that's not what I meant. Chad wants to me to join the team but I said I would have to think about it and talk it over with you. Gabs, I don't want to hurt you. I'm not going to be like Mark. You have to remember my promise to you the other day when I found out you were friends. Please believe me."

"Do you want to play basketball?" Gabriella spoke softly after a few minutes of silence and saw his face, "I'm guessing that face tells me that you do. I mean you did say you played basketball at your old school, didn't you?"

"Yes but that doesn't mean I have to play here," he looked at her, "it's up to you."

"If you want to play, you should play," Gabriella sighed, "don't let me get in your way. Just tell me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Be better than Mark," Gabriella grinned, "I mean, East High needs to beat West High for crying out loud."

Troy chuckled before leaning down and giving Gabriella a hug and whispering in her ear, "Are we ok?"

He pulled back and saw the smile on Gabriella's lips, "Only if you don't become like Richardson."

"Like I said, I would never become like that guy," he smiled, "now am I the new basketball star?"

Gabriella smiled and slowly nodded. Troy smiled at her knowing that he was going to have two of the best things ever. Basketball and the girl that was in front of him. All he had to do was to make sure is that he keeps his promise to her and he'll be good. _That shouldn't be a problem._

"Awe, look at the beautiful friendship," they turned around to find a smirking Mark leaning on the lockers, "so I saw the poster. The new basketball star is very catchy. I wonder who came up with that."

"It was you," Troy glared at him.

"You know you should really check and make sure no one else is in the gym because you never know, someone could start horrible rumors about you and," he smirked looking at Gabriella before look at Troy, "ruin your friendship."

"Yeah well I'm not as stupid to ruin a friendship for popularity unlike you," Troy looked him up and down, "you disgust me."

"Troy, just forget it," Gabriella tried to stop something from happen, "Let's just go to class."

Troy glared at Mark but then looked to see Gabriella's pleading eyes and he sighed nodding. He grabbed a hold of her handle and they turned around about to walk/wheel away. But then Mark said something that wasn't going to hold Troy back anymore.

"You know, this is exactly what we did when I found out that I was becoming a basketball player and then I dumped you, oh I don't know the next day," Mark smirked, "then I came to your house to finish you up and broke your heart which I didn't know you had once since your mommy and daddy didn't want you. Nobody will want you, Bitchella Morontez."

As soon as those words came out of Mark's mouth, he felt a fist on his face. Troy punched him in the stomach and then let him slide down the locker. Troy smirked down at him and turned around seeing Gabriella shaking her head and mouthing 'Let's go.' Troy looked back at Mark and sighed following Gabriella.

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"I'm sorry Gabs, but I just had to punch him." Troy looked at her. "I didn't like what he was saying about you."

Gabriella smiled softly taking his hand and looking at him, "I know and I'm grateful for that but now that you're probably going to be on the basketball team or just in general, you need to be careful of what you're doing because you can get suspended and I don't want you to because of me."

Troy turned to look at her and kissed her cheek, "I'd do anything for you."

Gabriella blushed and turned to look at him, "So are you going to go talk to coach?"

"I guess I will since I have your blessing," Troy smiled, "I still have your blessing, right?"

Gabriella giggled as she placed her hand on his shoulder nodding. He smiled at her before standing up. Gabriella followed him with her eyes. _He's so cute. Gabriella, get a hold of yourself. He only sees you as a friend. But he's just so cute and sweet. _Troy chuckled which caused Gabriella to get out of her thoughts and he grinned knowing she was thinking.

"What were you just thinking about?"

"Who? Me? Nothing," Gabriella blushed looking away.

Troy chuckled when he noticed she was blushing, "Fine, I'll let you go this time but next time that I catch you thinking. I'm going to find out what that mind is up to."

"Don't you have a coach to meet with and Chad?" Gabriella giggled trying to get him off the top of her, "You should go before you lose your chance."

"Yeah and you don't want me to find out what you were thinking about. I get it," Troy chuckled before kissing her forehead, "You will be seeing me later."

Gabriella giggled, "I have no choice but to see you later."

"Watch it missy or the tickle monster will come out from hiding tonight," he chuckled.

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"So you and Troy," Alex grinned, "seem to be hitting off really well."

Gabriella looked at her confused, "That's because I was his first friend when he moved here and oh wait, he lives with me."

"That could be the reason or," Sharpay smirked and looked at Taylor for her to finish her sentence.

Taylor smiled, "Or you could be totally crushing on him."

"Ok, I admit he's pretty cute," Gabriella shrugged, "but he's just my friend and foster brother."

Sharpay smirked, "There is no way you are considering that hot piece of meat your brother and you two would totally be cute together."

"Sharpay," Gabriella groaned, "don't start with your matchmaking please. If things are meant to be, then let things find its own way there."

Alex grinned after she said that, "So you are hoping that it goes on that path."

"I never said that," Gabriella spoke quickly but all of the girls smirked at her but then a male voice saved her from her friends.

"Never said what?" the voice asked.

Gabriella turned around seeing a grinning Troy, "Nothing. So how did meeting the coach go?"

"It went alright," Troy's grin got bigger, "You are now looking at the new captain of the basketball team."

"That's great," Gabriella wrapped her arms around his torso but then pulled back, "captain? How did that happen?"

Troy sat down next to her and the girls, "Well the team needed a captain and of course Chad told him that the boys would take me seriously as a leader more than Mark ever did which you never mentioned he was captain. But anyways, Coach went with it and here I am. Well he did have Chad and me go one on one to see if I can keep up with him which I did way better than him."

Gabriella smiled softly watching Troy talking about making the basketball team. She never seen him so happy before and that made her smile even more but something bothered her. Captain? Yeah, Chad is a basketball player but he was never captain which never let him grow a big ego. But that's when Mark changed. Mark changed when he was named captain. But she had to remember, Troy is not Mark. He promised that things would be different with him so she just had to trust him. Right?

Troy looked at Gabriella and saw that she was smiling but saw the sadness in her eyes, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, "I'm happy for you."

"If you say so," he smiled, "So how does it feel to be friends with the captain of the basketball team, ladies?"

_Great, it's already getting into his head. I knew it was too good to be true. But maybe he just won't be as bad as Mark was._

Sharpay, Taylor, and Alex all saw the way Gabriella was looking and knew what she was thinking. Troy Bolton was already changing. They remembered seeing that face. It was the same face she made when Mark Richardson, their enemy, changed two years ago.

Troy was clueless at what everyone was feeling or thinking. All he was thinking about was that now he was captain of the basketball team. He has never been the leader for everything and now here at East High, he was. He looked at Gabriella who gave him a fake smile. _Now I have everything I need. _He smiled at her not realizing that he was smiling at a fake smile.

**Here is the next chapter. There you have it. Is Troy changing? Will he follow in Mark's footsteps and turn his back on Gabriella? Tell me what you think about this story and about where you think Troy and Gabriella are heading in their friendship. Please leave a review. **


	6. Forgetting Birthday For a Party

**Chapter 6**

**Forgetting Birthday For a Party**

It has been two weeks since Troy has been named the new captain of the basketball team. Two weeks since Troy Bolton became one of the most popular guys in school. But in those two weeks, he still claims to be the guy before all the popularity started but was he? If you asked Gabriella and her friends, he wasn't. He still wasn't as bad as Mark. Until one day when he forgot one of the most important days of Gabriella's life that only comes around once a year. We all know what that is but does Troy?

"Hey baby G," Sharpay grinned as she walked up to her, "How's the birthday girl doing?"

Gabriella looked at her and giggled slightly seeing her grin, "I guess pretty good."

"Has Troy-boy say anything to you about this lovely day yet?"

Gabriella sighed, "No. He's been too busy with the guys and cheerleaders."

"He didn't even tell you at the house?" Sharpay was shocked but now pissed off.

"No but it's ok Shar, really."

Gabriella tried to put a strong face on trying to show that she was really ok with it but truthfully. How would you feel if your best guy friend forgot your birthday?

Sharpay looked at her, "Gabs, he's your best friend. No best friend forgets their best friend's birthday and gets away with it."

"Maybe he's acting that he forgot it to surprise her with something later?" Taylor suggested as she and Alex walked up to them, "By the way, happy birthday!"

Taylor and Alex hugged Gabriella and she muttered a 'thank you' after they each gave her a hug. When they pulled back and they all saw that Troy was coming over. Maybe there was hope. Maybe he remembered. They all hoped he did well Gabriella hope was starting to wear out because she was already losing all of her hope of Troy not following in Mark's footsteps.

"Hey ladies," Troy smiled.

"Hi Troy," Alex looked at him and then looked at the other two girls.

"We'll leave you two to talk," Sharpay got the hint with Alex's look and glared at Troy as they were walking away, "We'll see you later Gabby."

Troy was confused at the glare that he was receiving from Sharpay but let it go as he looked down at his favorite girl, "What was that about?"

"Oh nothing," Gabriella wasn't going to tell him, she wanted him to realize it himself, "You seem happy. What's up?"

"There's a party tonight," he grinned, "it's supposed to be the biggest party of the year. Would you want to come with me?"

"Tonight?" Gabriella looked at him shocked.

Troy looked at her confused, "Yeah, I mean we don't have anything else planned so I thought we could go. What do you say?"

"Troy, I don't do parties especially with these people at school," Gabriella shook her head, "remember when I told you that they either feel sorry for me or hate me. Don't you remember that? Or did everything change when you became the captain of the basketball team and everyone seemed like the good guy to Troy Bolton?"

She couldn't hold back the attitude. She really couldn't. So after she said that, she slammed her locker door shut before wheeling away from Troy. Troy looked at her confused before running after her.

"Woh, what was that about?" Troy stopped in front of her, "What did I do?"

"Nothing, that's the point, you didn't do anything," Gabriella looked up at him, "just go to the party without me. Have a splendid good old time."

She said with sarcasm and then just wheeled past him leaving Troy really confused now. _What did I do?_ _Well whatever I did, I can find out tonight after the party. I'm the captain of the team; I can't miss the party of the year. Whatever is wrong with Gabriella, I think Sandy and the boys can help her. _Troy smiled before walking back to his "friends."

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Gabriella was sitting at her lunch table knowing Troy wasn't going to sit with them once again. The girls entered the cafeteria looking at their table seeing Gabriella alone again and they looked at the basketball team's table and saw Troy with a cheerleader on his lap. _Just like Mark. _They all thought the same thing before they walked over to their table.

"Hey Gabs," Taylor spoke as they sat down, "not hungry?"

Gabriella looked at the tray of food that was in front of her before shaking her head and pushing it away to the center of the table.

"Gabs, it's your birthday," Alex looked at her, "don't let Troy get you down."

Gabriella looked at her, "But he didn't remember. He's going to a party tonight with them. The whole school is going and he asked if I wanted to go. I told him that people at this school either feel sorry for me or hate me but he didn't care. He still wants to go so I told him to have a splendid old time."

"Wow," Sharpay looked at her in shock, "maybe we shouldn't have left you two alone at the lockers."

Taylor looked over at the table to see Chad talking to Troy but Troy wasn't listening. Chad just shook his head before getting up and walking over to their table and sitting down between Sharpay and Taylor. He looked over to see Gabriella sad and he knew exactly what it was.

"Forget about Troy, Gabs," Chad spoke, "He'll come around. He's just…"

"Just what? Huh? Just getting used to being the captain of the basketball team? Once he does, then what Chad?" Gabriella had enough of them trying to make Troy the good guy she once knew, she knew he was slowly leaving her world and entering Mark's world, "He realizes that he was becoming just like something he promised he wouldn't become. You know, I highly doubt that is going to happen Chad Danforth. Besides, all of this is your fault. If you didn't talk Troy into wanting to play basketball here, I might still have the same guy that was here before he was named captain. So thanks Chad, now I have two ex-best friends and you know I was actually starting to like one of them more than just a friend but you know what? It doesn't matter anymore. He's gone and it's only been two weeks. Two damn weeks."

The whole table was shocked at Gabriella's outburst. Chad was the most shocked since that was all to him but he knew she was right. If he didn't talk Troy into playing basketball, he wouldn't be captain and maybe just maybe he would still be Troy Bolton and he would've remembered Gabriella Montez's birthday.

She just shook her head before pushing away from the table and leaving the cafeteria without Troy noticing the whole thing. Gabriella didn't know where to go, so she just went to her locker and opened it to find a note. She was hoping it was from Troy who realized what a jerk he was but no, the note just made her even angrier as she ripped it.

_You know, I hate being right all of the time. But anyways, how's your best friend? Ha, I already know the answer. So how does it feel to know that he doesn't remember your birthday? You should always trust what I say Bitchella Morontez because I'm usually right just like I'm right about this._

_~Mark_

Gabriella couldn't fight the tears anymore. She finally let them down. She promised herself that she wasn't going to cry again especially over a guy. But she was falling for that guy and he promised her that everything was going to be the same and nothing was going to change. She was a fool to believe that.

The bell rung and she wiped her tears away before closing her locker and going off to class alone without anyone by her side. This is usually the time Troy would walk her to class but everything changed in the past two weeks. _Those damned two weeks._

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Gabriella was now sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV after her birthday dinner with Sandy and the boys. Troy never came home. He went right to the party house. But that didn't let Gabriella stop her from having a happy dinner with her family like how things used to be before Troy got there.

"Gabby?" a soft voice coming from Tony, "Can we sit with you?"

Gabriella smiled softly seeing all four boys standing to the side of the couch. She nodded and they all smiled before hopping up onto the couch. Tony and Bryan sat on Gabriella's lap as Aiden cuddled to her left side and Tyler cuddled to her right side. This is what she needed to be happy, just her four boys until one of them mentioned the guy that was hurting her heart without realizing he is.

Aiden looked up at her, "Where's Troy?"

"He's at a party," Gabriella sighed, "He'll be home later."

Bryan leaned back into Gabriella, "Why isn't Troy home that much anymore?"

Gabriella's heart broke even more seeing all of them sad because Troy was no longer around like he used to be. They loved Troy like a big brother. Not only was Troy hurting her but he was hurting them and the worst part is he doesn't even realize it.

"Because he became the basketball captain at their school," Gabriella turned to her right to see Tyler speaking, "he's just like Mark."

Gabriella sighed knowing how hard it was when Mark turned his back on her and them. She didn't want Troy to do the same but what if it was too late? What if he was already changed? Gabriella hoped that Troy will soon realize what's going on before it gets too far out of hand.

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Troy opened the front door and walked in the house but before going to his room, he heard the TV on so he walked into the living room seeing the boys cuddled up to Gabriella. He smiled seeing them all watching the TV.

"What's going on in here?" Troy smiled.

They all turned to see Troy standing there. Gabriella sighed and looked at the boys before looking at the clock to see that it was time for them to go to bed.

"Boys, I think it's time for you to go to bed," Gabriella giggled as they groaned, "Oh go on."

They all said goodnight to Gabriella and they glared at Troy but said goodnight to him as well. Troy looked at them confused. _Why the hell is everyone glaring at me today? _That thought left his mind as he saw Aiden come back in after Gabriella was done transferring herself back into her chair.

Aiden walked over to her and gave her a hug and pulled back saying, "Happy Birthday again."

"Thanks buddy," she smiled as she watched him leave the room but frowned when she saw Troy's shocked face, "What?"

"It's your birthday?"

"I guess it is or shall I say it was?" Gabriella rolled her eyes before turning off the TV and heading out of the living room to go to her room but before that she turned around, "So how was the big party, superstar?"

"Uh it was fine?" Troy was still in shock, "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?"

"Oh I don't know," Gabriella pretended to think and then said with an attitude, "maybe I wanted to see if my supposedly best friend was going to remember. But what was I thinking? He's the captain of the team, why would he remember my birthday? I must be going crazy."

"Gabs, I'm…"

"Sorry?" Gabriella finished for him, "Yeah I'm sure you are but hey at least you had fun at the party right? That seems to be all that you care about now-a-days."

"You know that's not true," Troy tried to defend himself.

"Isn't it? Tell me this Troy. When was the last time you hung out with the boys? Or better yet, just hung out with me? Just the two of us," Gabriella shook her head as Troy didn't say anything, "See Troy. You've changed and not for the best. But why does it matter, right? I mean, you're the captain. Captains are the best, aren't they? Captain can get anything they want but there's one thing that you won't have and that's true friends because Troy, those people are not your real friends. They just like you because you're going to win them the championship."

Gabriella shook her head one more time before turning around about to go in her room but Troy called her back.

"Give me one more chance," he pleaded, "that's all I ask."

She turned around and saw his pleading eyes, "I'm tired of giving chances Troy but since you asked and Mark never did. That counts for something so I will. I'll give you another chance but that's it. You blow this chance and you'll lose your only real friend."

Troy nodded and Gabriella rolled her eyes before turning back around and heading into her room slamming the door. Troy just watched the door slam and knew that he was going to lose her if he didn't change back to the guy he was before joining the team.

He shook his head before going to his own room and laid on the bed thinking. What if he already did something tonight that ruined his chance? Little did he know was that tomorrow was going to be the worst day of his and Gabriella's friendship or shall I say – the end of their friendship.

**Uh-oh. What's going to happen? What did you think of this chapter? Hate Troy or still just Mark? Please review of what you want to see what happens next and review of what you thought of this chapter. **


	7. It Was a Mistake

**Chapter 7**

**It Was a Mistake**

It was the next morning and Gabriella woke up with blue eyes staring at her. At first, she was startled until she realized who those eyes belonged to. She was confused but then shook her head before sitting up slowly.

"What are you doing in here?" Gabriella asked before yawning, "And staring at me."

Troy grinned, "I just wanted to watch you sleep and make sure that you get up because missy we have school."

"Right," Gabriella groaned and looked at him, "Remind me, why was your party on a Thursday night?"

Troy just shrugged. Truth is, he didn't really know either but at the same time he didn't really care either because right now all he cared about was showing Gabriella that he was still the same guy.

"It doesn't matter," he smiled, "All that matters is that you get up!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes as he pulled the covers fully off of her but she was happy because it seemed that Troy was back. If you asked Gabriella if Troy did this yesterday, the answer would have been no. But today was different. He was back. She brought him back. Now, all she was hoping was that he stayed.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

Troy and Gabriella has entered through the doors of East High together. There was no one around which confused them but they shook their heads letting it go. They then saw Sharpay walking over to them with an angry face and she slapped Troy.

"How dare you forget her birthday yesterday!"

"Woh blondie, will you chill and not slap me?" Troy rubbed the cheek that she slapped, "Besides, Gabs and I made up last night as she made me realize that I was changing."

"Seriously?" Sharpay was shocked and just looked at Gabriella who looked away, "But, oh forget it. I know, I'll get the whole story later. Now come on, we need to get to our lockers."

Gabriella sighed knowing she was going to have to explain herself to Sharpay which she usually never liked doing because when she wants the whole story, she must get the whole story. Sharpay can be very persistent with what she wants. But the hard part about this story is, Sharpay is going to be asking questions after questions wanting to know why and what was going on in that mind of hers for forgiving Troy so fast.

Gabriella just shook her head before heading to her locker with Troy and Sharpay. As they turned around the corner, they each saw almost the whole student body around Gabriella's locker. _What's going on? _They each thought that as they moved over and through the crowd until they saw what was going on. Gabriella was near tears, Sharpay was ready to pound someone's face, and Troy. Troy showed no emotion. Why? Wondering what's going on? Someone placed a sign on Gabriella's locker saying this:

FOSTER CARE LOSER BECAUSE HER MOMMY AND DADDY DIDN'T WANT HER. GUESS WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO DON'T CARE FOR HER.

Troy finally decided to show emotion even though he knew that it might backfire but he did it anyway as he snatched the sign off the locker and looking around the hallway, "Who did this?"

Everyone just looked around but some of them were laughing at the sign but stopped when they saw Troy's face, "I said, who did this?"

"Who did what?" A voice that both Troy and Gabriella hate hearing said as he came out from the crowds and looked at Troy with a smirk, "Oh that?"

"It was you," Troy was now beyond pissed and went up to his face, "I can beat you up right here, right now if I wanted to."

Gabriella was watching the scene in front of her not stopping Troy because she knew this time she wasn't going to be able to stop him. Sharpay was knelt down besides her trying to comfort her. Neither of them expected of what was going to happen.

"Nuh-uh, you're not going to want to do that," Mark smirked.

Troy glared at him, "And why the hell not?"

"Because I might've been the one who put the sign on her locker," Mark looked at Gabriella and then to Troy, "but I wasn't the one who told everyone."

"What are you talking about?" Sharpay spoke up confused as Troy slowly backed away from Mark with a less angry face on.

"Shall I tell them?" Mark smirked, "Or do you want to do the honors?"

"Tell us what?" Gabriella looked confused through her tears and looked at Troy, "Troy, what's going on?"

Troy looked at her with apologetic eyes before looking back at smirking Mark. Mark saw that Troy wasn't going to do it so he was fine with ruining Troy's perfect chance of getting Gabriella's friendship back. But deep down inside of Mark, he knew this was wrong. He knew that he should've stopped Troy last night from saying anything because he knew how hurt Gabriella will be once everyone knows about her secret but his bad side told him otherwise and he went with that way.

"Fine then, I'll tell you what happened last night at the party," Mark was still smirking, "It all started when…"

[ Flashback ]

"_Hey Troy," someone at the party said._

"_Hey man," Troy responded and looked around, "Party is looking fine tonight."_

"_Oh yeah. Like I said this was the party of the year," someone else behind Troy said._

"_You were right man," Troy chuckled but then saw a guy looking at him with a question look, "Dude, you alright?"_

"_Yeah I was just wondering something," The guy pushed off the wall walking over to them, "you never told us where you lived. I mean, I think everyone should know where the captain of the basketball team is living."_

_Troy looked at him confused but wasn't thinking when he started talking, "Oh I live with Gabriella Montez, the girl in the wheelchair."_

"_You mean with her parents?" The guy was holding a smirk knowing where this was going, "Your parents are away so you had to stay with the Montez's?"_

"_Uh no," Troy wasn't sure if he should say this or not but he kept going, "My parents and sister died in a car crash. I'm staying at a foster home."_

_The guy acted shocked and everyone was interested in the conversation now, "You mean Gabriella's a foster kid?"_

"_Uh yeah," Troy nodded smiling, "So am I. We live with Sandy our foster Mom, and four little boys age ranging from 5 to 8."_

"_Interesting," the guy smiled, "That's cool. So you have like four little brothers."_

_Troy nodded, "Yeah, they can be a wild bunch but they really love Gabriella. Gabriella is like their older sister and she's really close to Aiden, the one that's 8 years old."_

"_Do you know why she's a foster kid?"_

_Without thinking he started rambling on her whole life story, "Her family was never interested in her especially when they found out that she had to have surgeries and spend lots of money on them."_

_He kept going on and on. Little did Troy know was that the guy who asked this question was a friend of Mark's and was paid to try and set up Troy to see if he would say anything about Gabriella's living arrangements and he did. Mark was standing in the dark of the room watching the conversation go on with a smirk growing on his face._

"_Perfect," he smirked again as whispered to himself, "she'll never forgive him after this now because she'll realize that I was better than him because I never gave her secret away."_

[ End of Flashback ]

Troy glared at Mark before changing his expression looking at Gabriella, "Gabriella, I…"

"Don't." Gabriella held up her hand towards him before starting to roll away before she turned around with tears flowing down her cheeks, "How could you?"

Troy looked at her with said eyes, "I didn't mean to."

"Of course you didn't," she shook her head, "you never mean anything you say anymore. Like last night, were you really sorry that you forgot my birthday? Are you really sorry that you haven't been Troy Bolton for the past two weeks? I can't believe I trusted you with everything. I believed you when you promised when you wouldn't become like Mark."

"But, I haven't," Troy tried to get a word in.

"Yes you have. You're him!" Gabriella shook her head, "No scratch that. You're probably worst than him because at least he never told my biggest secret. I just have one question. Why?"

Troy looked at her, "Why what?"

"Why did you tell?"

"You want to know why I told?" Gabriella nodded wiping her tears and Troy didn't hold anything back because he was angry now, "Because I didn't want to lie about who I am! I'm not like that. I want people to like me for me and not for my lies. I mean, that is what you want right? You tell me that all the fucking time. Oh Troy, I wish people would like me for me but they either feel sorry for me or hate me. You want to know what Gabriella Montez, if people felt sorry for you, you would be the most popular girl in the school but you're not. You're at the bottom of the chain. No wonder why your parents didn't want you or the fact that your brother always makes up some lame excuse to not be able to see his sister. You're just jealous that I'm popular and you will never be."

Everyone gasped even Mark was shocked. He never expected this. This wasn't a part of his plan. This is when Mark realized that he has taken things WAY too far. Sharpay was beyond pissed off now and she was trying so hard not to rip Troy's and Mark's head off knowing that this was all Mark's fault somehow.

Troy looked around at all of the shocked faces and then looked at Gabriella who was now officially crying her eyes out and that's when he realized what he just said, "Wait, I didn't mean that."

"Fuck you." This was the first time Gabriella has ever cursed and she was proud of it, "I can't believe I actually believed that you were different."

"But I am different," Troy stepped closer to her kneeling in front of her, "What I just said, it was a mistake. I was just mad, please believe me."

He grabbed her hand but she snatched it away from him, "No, I'm done trying to believe everything you say because frankly all I have done in the past month was believe you and then look where it left me. You're just like him. Just like the guy you promised you wouldn't become. Goodbye Troy."

She turned her wheelchair around and looked up at Mark, "I hope you're happy now. I'm officially broken."

Gabriella shook her head as more tears came down her cheeks before she wheeled through the crowd that moved out of her way. The crowd looked at Troy then to Mark before shaking their heads going their own way. Sharpay was the only one left with them.

"Are you both happy now?" Sharpay looked at Mark, "You fucking son of a bitch broke her more than you did two fucking years ago." She then looked at Troy, "You're officially on the top of my list of the people who I want to kill but I can't right now because my BEST friend needs me and I don't turn my back on my friends like you two sons of bitches."

She then ran off in the direction of where she saw Gabriella go off to. Troy looked up to see Mark standing right there with no one in sight. Mark bit his lip as he saw Troy rise up to his feet. This was the first time in Mark's life that he was ever scared for his life. Looking at those dark blue angry eyes showed that Troy was done playing his game.

Troy glared at Mark before shaking his head, "You're not even worth it."

Mark was confused until he saw Troy walk away. He was shocked. He's alive. He was sure that he was going to get murdered right then and there. But Mark knew that he had to do something. This was his entire fault. He sighed before walking off in a different direction where he will be walking alone. Things were no longer the same.

Will it ever be the same again?

**What do you think? Ya hate me...lol…Sorry but that's the way the story has to go. Not liking where it's going? Don't worry, eventually it will get better but I can't promise you when :P But until then, I hope you 3 drama. You will finally meet Nate and maybe even her parents and other brother and sister? You will soon find out. Please review of what you thought of this chapter. **


	8. It's Different and Nate

**I hope you like this chapter. I'm only writing in this spot because there is a song in this chapter called Long Gone by Lady Antebellum and I wanted to say that I do not own the song. Now enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 8**

**It's Different and Nate**

It's been two weeks since the fallout of Troy and Gabriella. Nothing was the same. School wasn't the same. At the house, everything changed. Troy is still the captain of the basketball team but is no longer the popular one. Gabriella is still Gabriella but with more people who are feeling sorry for her which was exactly what she didn't want to happen.

Now with Troy as he walks inside the house after another day of everyone ignoring him, and at practice all of the basketball guys were pushing him harder and kept knocking him down, mostly Chad. Troy sighed knowing that things were different for the past two weeks and it was his entire fault. Well not all of his fault but most of it.

"Hi Troy," Sandy was the only one that was sort of talking to him, "How was school today?"

"The same as it has been for the past 2 weeks," he just shrugged, "where is everyone?"

"The boys are in the living room and Gabriella is in her room," she looked at Troy, "you can go play with the boys."

"It's different," Troy sighed, "they don't want anything to do with me since everything Gabriella."

"Troy, I don't blame you for wanting to tell everyone about being a foster kid but Gabriella was a different story, she didn't want anyone to know other than her real friends," she looked at him, "but I can tell you that the boys, they should soon forgive you. Ehh nah, they won't forgive you until Gabriella forgives you so give it time."

Troy nodded and then Sandy smiled softly at him before walking away. Troy sighed before looking at the doorway that led to the living room. He thought about it and then slowly walked into the living room seeing the boys on the couch playing their Xbox 360 which made him smile slightly.

"Hey boys," Troy nervously said, "Whatcha playing?"

He sat down at the edge of the couch looking at the boys. The boys glanced at each other before looking at Troy but then looked at Aiden. Aiden rolled his eyes knowing that he was the oldest one so he turned the game off and looked at the boys.

"Let's go up to our rooms," they all nodded before following Aiden.

Troy watched them walk off and he sighed knowing they were never going to forgive him. The only way they were going to forgive him was if Gabriella would and that might never happen unless he comes up with a plan. This is going to be harder than he will ever know but he's going to do whatever he needs to because he misses her. He misses her so much that it hurts.

He got up from his seat and walked out of the living room. Troy stopped in front of Gabriella's room for a second to sigh before he walks into his room and lies down on his bed with a basketball pillow in his hand.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

Troy was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. He knew everyone else was in their rooms so he decided to go answer the door himself. He walked out of the kitchen and over to the front door, opening it to find a guy who looked only a few years older than him.

"Um hi?" Troy looked at the guy, "How may I help you?"

"Uh is Gabriella Montez home?"

"Yes," Troy nodded, "May I ask who you are?"

"Just tell her Nate is here," the guy looked at him.

Troy looked at him shocked, "Nate? As in her brother?"

"Yes," Nate nodded, "Now can you please get her? I don't have that much time."

"Um sure," he nodded letting Nate in, "Just wait her as I go get her."

Nate nodded as Troy walked off to get Gabriella. He went to her door about to knock. _Wait. We're not talking. How am I supposed to tell her without her kicking me out? Oh well, here goes nothing. _Troy took a deep breath before knocking.

"Who is it?" It came from the other side of the door.

"It's Troy," he bit his lip.

She sighed, "Go away Troy. I don't want to talk to you."

"But I came to tell you that your brother is here."

Gabriella's eyes widened before she opened the door seeing Troy standing there, "Nate's here?"

"Yeah," Troy nodded, "He's by the door. He said he didn't have much time."

Gabriella nodded and then Troy moved out of her way to let her go by. She looked up at him and mouthed 'thank you' before wheeling past him. Troy smiled softly but frowned knowing this could either be good or bad that Nate is here.

Gabriella wheeled up to him, "Hi."

"Hey sis," Nate smiled before bending down to give her a hug and then pulled back, "How are you?"

Gabriella just shrugged not wanting to tell him everything that's been happening in the past month. Yes, he might not be around for her but older brothers still have that overprotective side of them and even though Troy and she aren't friends anymore, she still doesn't want to see him hurt.

"What are you doing here?"

Nate smiled, "I wanted to come here face to face with you. I wanted to say how sorry I am that I've been missing our special days together. You know, I'm a busy man."

"Actually I don't," Gabriella was tired of all of his excuses, "how busy are you?"

"Oh you know," he grinned, "really busy."

Gabriella shook her head, "That's all you ever say Nate and I always say that it's ok. But you know what? It's not. It's never ok with me Nate. You're my brother and you said that things were going to be different. Don't you remember that?"

"Of course I remember that," he shook his head, "I'm the one that came here and told you that face to face two years ago. But I've been busy."

"Busy with what?" Gabriella looked down shaking her head before looking back up at him, "Wait don't answer that because I know exactly what or should I say who. The others are more important to you than I am just because I'm in a wheelchair and messed up your precious family, isn't that right? I mean that is what you said."

"Don't be like this Bella," Nate sighed, "I already told you how sorry I was when I said that about you. I was wrong but I was only 7 years old and don't bring Anthony and Sasha into this. They didn't do anything wrong."

"Do they know about me?" Nate looked down, "That's what I thought. I'm nothing to them and I'm nothing to you. I'm done with you coming here and asking for forgiveness because you can't seem to keep your promise about setting things up with us. It's been two years since I forgave you about the past but you know what, I've never saw you again. We come up with plans and then you call the day before saying you can't make it or you call the day after saying how sorry you were because you forgot because you were busy. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of people making promises to me and they don't keep it."

Troy was in the living room behind the wall listening to everything and looked down when she mentioned the last part. He was one of those people and he wasn't so happy to be on that list. First it was Mark, Nate, and now him. He hated himself to be on that list. He wanted to get off that list but knew it would take a lot to get him off that list.

"Bella please," Nate looked at his watch, "I'm sorry but…"

"But you have to go," Gabriella looked down having a sarcastic laugh, "There's a shocker and what's with Bella?"

"It's my nickname for you," Nate smiled, "I came up with it."

"That's nice but I won't here that much from you since this will the last time I see you," Gabriella said which shocked and confused Nate.

Nate looked confused at her, "What are you talking about?"

"You came here for forgiveness for ditching me, right?" Nate nodded, "Well I'm done forgiving you. I'm not that girl anymore that just forgives you because you came all the way here and act like that everything is going to be ok because believe me, I know it won't be."

Nate looked at her, "But Gabriella. You need me. You need your family. I'm your brother. What about Mom and Dad? What if they ever want to see you again? I can bring you to them if you want me to. Please don't let this be the end of this."

"Nate stop begging because it's not going to work," she sighed, "I might one day want to see them and ask them why but I'll always know that they were not my real family. My real family is here and you might be my brother but so is Anthony who I never met and Sasha. Aiden is more a brother to me then you will ever be and so will the other three."

"What about that guy that answered the door?"

"I don't want to talk about him," she looked at him, "but Nate ask me this one question. When you were busy to come be with me, you were with them, right?"

Gabriella sighed when he looked down nodding. She knew her biological family had other kids but two years ago, Nate made it seem like that he was going to make a lot of time to make her feel like she still belonged to this world but he hasn't done anything to prove that and she's tired of expecting something when at the end, she ends heartbroken. It always happens to her and this is one thing she wants to stop.

"That's what I thought," she nodded, "don't you have to go?"

Nate went on his knees, "Gabriella, please."

"What do I have to do to show you that I'm not that girl who forgives you so easily?" Then an idea clicked in her mind and she yelled, "BOYS!"

Nate looked at her confused. Troy was on the other side of the wall also confused. What was going on? The boys were running down the stairs and they saw Nate there. They knew who he was and neither of them really liked him especially Aiden. Gabriella called them over to her and whispered something to them and they all grinned before running into the living room.

"What's going on?" Nate looked confused watching the boys.

"You'll see," Gabriella smiled seeing the boys coming back with a microphone and their instruments and they were real instruments, "I'm going to show you that I'm not that girl anymore so you better listen and listen good."

Aiden handed her the microphone as the boys started playing their instruments. She looked at Nate as she began to sing.

_It's so like you just to show up at my door_

_And act like nothing's happened_

_You think I'll sweep my heart up off the floor_

_And give it to you_

_Like so many times before_

_You're talking to a stranger_

_I'm not that girl anymore  
_

_That girl is long gone_

_Boy you missed the boat it just sailed away_

_Long gone _

_She's not drowning in her yesterdays_

_Betcha never thought I'd be that strong _

_Well this girl is long gone_

__

Don't waste your breath with baby, baby please

_Cuz I am so not listening_

_Don't bother getting down upon your knees and try to beg me _

_I'm tired of how you twist the truth_

_You're not talking to the same girl_

_Who used to forgive you_

__

That girl is long gone

_Boy you missed the boat it just sailed away_

_Long gone _

_She's not drowning in her yesterdays_

_Betcha never thought I'd be that strong _

_Well this girl is _

__

Gone like the wind under Superman's cape

_Like a thief in the night I made the great escape_

_I'm not the kind of girl that keeps making the same mistakes_

__

That girl is long gone

_Boy you missed the boat it just sailed away_

_Long gone_

_I'm not drowning in my yesterdays_

_Betcha never thought I'd be that strong, betcha didn't_

_Yeah well baby I proved you wrong_

_This girl is long gone, long gone_

_This girl is long gone, long gone_

_This girl is long gone_

_This girl is gone_

Gabriella stopped singing and looked at Nate who was shocked. She smiled knowing that he got the message.

"So that girl is gone," he looked at her as he stood up, "and I don't think she's coming back."

"You can sing?" Gabriella nodded, "I guess I should go but can I ask one more thing?"

Gabriella sighed knowing that this should be interesting so she nodded.

"Can you come over for dinner one night?" Gabriella's eyes widened, "Please. Just one night. You can bring someone with you if you think it's going to be awkward. Just please. I need you to know that I want to be your brother and I think Anthony and Sasha would like to meet you even they don't know about you. But if it's Mom and Dad you're worried about, I'll talk to them. I-I think this could be a good thing for you to talk to them, not meaning you have to leave this place but just to get to know your parents and other brother and sister. I wouldn't be doing this if I thought it was a bad idea."

Gabriella was shocked. Nate just asked her to go to her biological family's house for dinner. What does she do? It'll be totally awkward but could it be worth it? Gabriella looked up to see Nate's pleading eyes and then looked around the rooms and saw Troy peeking his head out from the wall giving a small smile. That smile was a 'go for it' smile. Even though they weren't friends anymore, she knew who she was taking to the dinner with her because if she needed someone to hold her, it would have to be him but it doesn't mean they are friends again.

Gabriella took a deep breath, "Fine and I'm going to bring someone and that's Troy." She looked to see Troy with his mouth open, "But it doesn't mean we're gonna be friends again."

Troy sighed but nodded which confused Nate a little but he just ignored it smiling, "Great. So tomorrow is Sunday, we always have family dinners, so I think you should come tomorrow."

"Sure," Gabriella agreed, "now can you please leave?"

Nate nodded and kissed her cheek saying goodbye to the boys who just glared at him. He even said goodbye to Troy before leaving. Gabriella looked at the door and the boys knew she was about to say something that they shouldn't hear so they ran up the stairs.

"What the hell did I just agree to?"

**So what do you think? This is so far the longest chapter that I've written. I hope you liked this episode. I think you should listen to that song to get the emotion of it because it really does go with Gabriella and Nate's relationship. So, Troy and Gabriella are going to Gabriella's family's house for dinner? How do you think that's going to go? Please review.**


	9. Dinner With the Family

**Chapter 9**

**Dinner with the Family**

"Why did I agree to this?" Gabriella asked herself once again looking in the mirror, "I must be insane."

"Insanely pretty," Troy smiled at the door, "are you ok?"

Gabriella turned around and saw Troy standing there in a suit like outfit, "I've been better. You look nice."

"Well, I am going to dinner with you and your family," he smiled but saw her face, "you're going to be fine."

She sighed and looked at Troy, "You know this would be so much easier if we were friends."

"We could be," he then saw her face, "I know, we're not because of my stupidity."

"At least you admit you were being stupid," Gabriella sighed, "let's not get into this now. I don't want to argue before we have to go to that house that could lead to arguments."

Troy sighed knowing that they were far off from being friends but this was a step. Maybe this was going to be the first step towards things getting back the way it's supposed to be. Troy wanted to get back there. Everyone wanted to get back to that point.

Even though Gabriella doesn't show it, she misses Troy, the old Troy. But there's more to that missing point to her was her heart because before Troy was stupid, she was falling for him. She was liking him more than just a friend, no scratch that, she was in love with him and still was. It hurting her to still love him and knowing what he did to her but she hoped that things would change because she couldn't keep hating him knowing she was really loving him. Gabriella hated the way things were but they were the way they were.

~With Nate and family~

"I can't believe you invited her here," Mrs. Montez looked at Nate as she was cooking.

Nate sighed, "Mom, she's my sister. She was going to cut me off full time. I didn't want that so I thought the one thing that would keep her in my life. I know things are going to be awkward but can you guys try and be nice."

"Isn't she in a wheelchair?" Mr. Montez spoke.

"Yeah and?" Nate looked at his Dad with a look, "So what? She's still your daughter. I can't believe I was stupid when I was 7 years old. I feel so stupid saying that she was ruining our family when really she wasn't. It was you that was ruining our family because you gave up my sister."

"You have a sister," Mrs. Montez turned around looking at Nate, "don't say you don't have a sister."

"I never did," Nate stood up, "I should have two sisters living here but you know what? I don't because you sent one off just because she was different."

Mr. Montez looked at his son and wife, "Ok that's enough you two. We're going to have company here in about an hour and we need to try and be civilized."

"I'll be able to be civilized but I'm not so sure about you two," Nate shook his head before walking out of the kitchen to find his brother and sister in the living room, "Hey guys."

They both looked at him, "Hi."

"Are you guys ready for dinner in an hour?" He sat down on the couch in between them.

"I guess," Sasha shrugged.

Anthony looked up at Nate, "Whose Gabriella?"

"Guys, Mom, Dad, and I explained her to you last night," he sighed, "she's our sister."

"But why isn't she living with us?" Sasha looked at him confused.

Nate knew how hard it must be to understand of what's going on for them because they just learned that they had another sibling. Anthony is only ten and Sasha was only seven. He just sat there not knowing how to fully explain everything.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

"So are you ready?" Troy looked down at Gabriella who had an emotionless face looking at the house in front of them.

Gabriella took a deep breath and nodded, "Yeah."

Troy went behind her and grabbed onto her handles and pushed her forward knowing that she was too nervous to push herself. They reached the door and Troy went beside her to ring the bell and then went back behind her. She looked up at him to give him a small smile as the door opened. Gabriella looked to see a small smile Nate standing there.

"Hey, I'm glad you could make it," he smiled, "Come on in."

Troy smiled softly before pushing Gabriella inside the house as Nate closed the door. Gabriella looked around the house not really remembering it because she was two, the last time she was in that house. Nate watched Gabriella look around and looked at Troy.

"We never actually introduced each other but you know who I am," Nate placed his hand out. "I'm assuming that you're Troy?"

Troy nodded before placing his hand in Nate's hand and shook, "Yeah, that's me."

Nate nodded taking his hand back, "Well, let's go uh, see the rest of the family, shall we?"

"Uh sure," Gabriella's nervousness came right back after hearing that.

Nate saw that she was nervous and decided that he should push her instead of Troy. He went behind her grabbing a hold of her handles and started pushing her towards a room. Troy followed behind them. Gabriella took a deep breath as Nate pushed her into a room where there were four people sitting at a table where she was guessing was the dining room. Nate cleared his throat and they all looked toward the door to see them there. That was it. That was the moment when Gabriella was ready to leave. She didn't want to be here. Just by them looking at her, she knew she didn't belong and she wanted to get out of there.

"Uh Mom, Dad?" Nate looked at his parents who stood up, "You remember Gabriella? Your uh daughter?"

"Yes," Mr. Montez nodded with a smile looking at Gabriella, "It's very nice to see you again Gabriella."

Gabriella nodded but was shocked to see him come over to her taking her in his arms to give her a hug. She didn't know what to do but hug him back. Gabriella saw her Mom looking at them with an emotionless face. This told Gabriella something. _She didn't want me._ Her Dad pulled back before seeing that there was someone else there.

"Who's this?"

This was going to be the first time Gabriella says anything, "This is Troy. I guess you can say he's my foster brother for about two months now."

"Welcome to our house, son," Mr. Montez smiled, "You can call me Greg and this is my wife, Maria."

"It's nice to meet you," Troy nodded to Greg and looked at Maria noticing the same look Gabriella saw, "and you Maria."

Maria nodded before walking into the kitchen. Nate sighed knowing she wasn't very thrilled of the idea but was shocked to see his Dad ok with it all. He guessed that his father wasn't so thrilled of giving Gabriella up but his Mom wanted to give her up so he just went with it. This is what he was guessing and he could tell that Gabriella could sense the same thing he was sensing which wasn't very promising.

"Don't worry, she'll come around," Nate whispered down to her before wheeling her over to the table, "now, I think it's time that you meet the little brats of the family. Gabriella, I would like you to meet our brother and sister, Anthony and Sasha. Anthony is ten years old and Sasha is seven."

Gabriella smiled at the kids, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Sasha's eyes lit up, "you're my sister?"

"Yes, I am." Gabriella nodded.

Anthony looked at her, "Is Troy the only one that lives with you?"

"No, there are four little boys, that are ages five to eight," Gabriella smiled.

Anthony and Sasha smiled. They already liked their sister that they just learned about last night. Nate smile seeing this before motioning to Troy to come over to the table to sit next to him. Anthony was on the left side of Gabriella while Sasha was on her other side. Nate and Troy were on the other side of the table while Greg was sitting at the head of the table on the left side leaving a seat open on the other side for Maria.

Maria came back in seeing that everyone was sitting at the table already in comfort silence. She saw that Gabriella was sitting between her son and daughter who were looking at her chair and then looking at Gabriella like she was a saint or something. She didn't like this. She didn't want them to like her so much because she would cause trouble in their lives. Maria then looked at her husband who had a smile on his face that she hasn't seen in awhile meaning he was happy. Was he not happy for the past 14 years? Maria shook her head. He never wanted to give Gabriella up but she did. She was too much a hassle for her and the bills that they had to pay for her would have made them go broke so they couldn't do it.

But she promised Nate that she would try to be on her best behavior tonight. She didn't want to make Gabriella feel totally out of the loop but then again she didn't want to make her feel like she was family because they gave her up for a reason. They wanted a perfect family and Gabriella was all but perfect in her eyes. She was not going to come ruin her perfect family. Maria was going to make it work tonight but only tonight, if Gabriella thinks she is a part of the family again then she better check her thinking.

Maria went back into the kitchen to grab the dinner and came back in, "Dinner is ready. I hope you like chicken, Troy and Gabriella."

"We eat chicken every Sunday as well," Troy smiled speaking before Gabriella.

Gabriella looked at Troy before looking at her Mom, "It looks great."

Maria faked a smile before placing the chicken on the table and taking a seat. Everyone smiled at the chicken. Gabriella was still feeling a little out of place but felt a little better than how she was feeling before she entered the house. The only thing that didn't feel ok with her was her Mom. She felt like that she didn't want her to be here.

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Everyone was finished with their plates and were all talking to each other at the table.

"Gabriella?" Greg looked at Gabriella.

"Yes Greg?" Gabriella wasn't sure if she could call them Mom or Dad because she hasn't been around them in so long.

"Gabriella honey, I'm your father, you can call me Dad," he smiled which caused Nate to smile.

Gabriella softly smiled, "Um ok so yes Dad?"

"How are you in school?" he smiled, "Like do you have good grades? What grade are you in? Do you have good friends?"

Gabriella smiled softly, "I'm a junior so it's an important year. I get straight A's ever since well, ever since I could remember and my friends?" Gabriella glanced at Troy but looked back at her Dad, "I have four crazy friends but I love them but there is also drama at school at the moment."

"Oh?" Greg looked a little concerned and so did Nate, "What kind of drama?"

"Just normal high school drama and I guess jealousy drama," she looked at Troy, "also people who don't keep their promises, right Troy?" Troy looked down and she looked back at her Dad and Nate, "but nothing I can't handle."

Greg nodded still confused. Troy looked up to look at Troy before sighing. Gabriella turned her face to look at him and saw his sad face and she knew that he was going through a lot but he deserved it all. But she didn't want him to feel all sad tonight, it's supposed to be a happy night or at least not an awkward night.

"But Troy is the captain of the basketball team," Gabriella smiled which shocked Troy.

Anthony seemed to light up at the moment basketball was mention, "Really Troy?"

Troy was still shocked that Gabriella has mentioned him and the basketball team in a sentence with a smile on her face but shook his head before looking at Anthony, "Yes really."

"Didn't Gabriella say that you just moved into her house just two months ago?" Maria thought she should join the conversation.

"I did but the captain of the basketball team didn't work out," Troy chuckled and Gabriella giggled softly knowing who that was, "so Chad, one of Gabriella and mine friend's well right now Gabriella's friend suggested that I would try out and the coach decided that I would be a good captain well Chad sort of helped him decide that."

"Interesting," Maria nodded, "Wait, Chad isn't your friend anymore?"

Gabriella decided to speak and looked at her, "Actually Mom, Troy and I aren't exactly friends anymore."

"Call me Maria," Gabriella was shocked at that, so was Nate and Greg, "but anyways, if you guys aren't friends anymore, why is he here?"

"Uh," Gabriella didn't really know how to answer that question so she looked around the table knowing here comes the part of the evening she was hoping that wasn't going to happen.

"I mean, not that I don't mind him being here," Maria was still speaking, "but why did you choose him when you could have brought anyone of your other friends here, unless, you don't really have those four friends that you were talking about before."

Gabriella was already not liking where this was going neither was Nate. The night was going great and now she was finally going to ruin it. Greg looked at everyone at the table and then at his wife shaking his head trying to stop her.

"No, they really are my friends," Gabriella nodded, "There's Sharpay, Taylor, Alex, and Chad."

"But not Troy," Gabriella shook her head, "I'm still waiting for an explanation of why you aren't friends with him or why he's here or better yet why you're here?"

Nate looked at her, "Mom."

"What?" Maria looked at him, "I'm just asking my daughter a few questions just like your father did. Am I not allowed to do that?"

"Not the questions that are making your daughter feel uncomfortable especially the last one," Nate defended Gabriella, "and you know why she's here. I invited her here and I told her to bring someone with her and didn't say that it had to be a friend, just someone so if Troy and Gabriella aren't friends right now, that's their problem not yours and you don't have the right to know what it is. You lost that right when you gave her up."

Greg looked at Troy, "Troy, would you mind taking Gabriella and the kids to the living room please?"

Troy nodded noticing that it was getting tensed in the kitchen. He stood up motioning the kids and Gabriella to follow him even though he had no idea where the living room. But Anthony and Sasha ran out of the room so he just followed them into the living room with Gabriella right in front of him and behind her brother and sister.

Greg waited until they were out of the kitchen before looking at his wife and son, "What's going on in here? We were having a nice dinner and then you two had to start bickering."

"It's not me," Nate shook his head, "Everything was going fine until Mom had to butt in somewhere where she wasn't wanted."

"How can you say I wasn't wanted?" Maria looked at Nate, "She's my daughter, I have the right to know what's going on in her life."

"Oh really?" he shook his head at her, "Call me Maria. Really Mom? You didn't allow her to call you Mom when Dad insisted on her calling him Dad. Plus, you gave her a look all night that you didn't want her here. Oh and by the way, I've noticed who wanted her out of this family and it wasn't Dad. It was you. You wanted to give her up, not Dad; he just went with what you wanted. I saw it, Gabriella saw, hell even Troy saw it."

"That's not true," Maria shook her head, "we both agreed to it, right Greg?"

Greg looked at his son and then to his wife shaking his head, "You never asked what I wanted. I didn't care what it was going to cost, I wanted my daughter but you sent her off and I just agreed because you never gave me a chance not to."

"Don't say that, you know that you wanted exactly what I wanted and that was a perfect family," she looked at Greg, "having Gabriella in our family would've changed everything. Look at us, we're perfect now."

"I knew you were going to say that," Nate had enough of the word perfect so he stood up, "Mom, actually no, Maria, we're not perfect. I don't know what makes you think our family is perfect. Look at us, we're arguing right now and have been like this for well since I turned 18 and I've had enough of you saying we're the perfect family when really Maria, there is no such thing as a perfect family or anything perfect so maybe you should think about that. What is a perfect family? Like I said, there is no such thing as being perfect."

"Don't call me Maria, I'm your mother." Maria stood up looking at him, "You have no way to treat me this way. I do have a perfect family thanks to me because I kept you away from her."

"I do have the right…" Nate realized something, "Wait, you're the reason why I always had to break my commitments with her. I would tell you that I have plans with her and either the day before or the day of it, you would tell me that I have to go somewhere with you or go watch Anthony's t-ball game or Sasha's ballet. It's your fault that I might lose my sister because I haven't been hanging out with her when I said I would."

"So, you still have us."

"I'm done," Nate shook his head, "I can't explain anything to you because you don't understand anything. The only reason why I come here every Sunday or to the house is because of Anthony and Sasha but now I think I've had it pretending that I'm happy here when I'm not. So Maria, your family is no longer how you say it, perfect family which I believe it never was. I'm done here and I'm going home and taking Troy and Gabriella with me and oh by the way your other daughter and son already love Gabriella so I wouldn't do anything because they love their sister and they only just met her."

Nate looked at his Mom one last time and then glanced at his father before leaving the kitchen to go walk into the living room. He smiled at the sight. Troy was playing Xbox 360 with Anthony while Gabriella was doing Sasha's hair. Gabriella was smiling, she was happy, and that's all that mattered to him. Why couldn't Maria see that? Gabriella saw Nate there and saw the look on his face before sighing a little knowing that her Mom will never accept her.

"I think we should go," Gabriella spoke but Sasha groaned, "We have school tomorrow and I think Maria and Dad have to talk so we should go while you guys get ready for bed."

Troy nodded in agreement before turning off the game which Anthony groaned at that, "Come on little man, you and Sasha need to head to bed."

"Fine," Anthony groaned and walked over to Sasha taking her hand, "Let's go."

Sasha smiled softly before hugging Gabriella who was surprised at the hug at first but then returned the hug before Sasha pulled back, "I hope we get to see you again. I've always wanted a big sister."

Gabriella smiled softly at her before they walked out of the living room, up the stairs. Nate stood there in shock. He has never seen Anthony or Sasha go to bed peacefully; usually he has to fight them to go to bed. Troy stood up before walking over to Gabriella and Nate.

"I hope we didn't cause any trouble," Nate shook his head, "well tell them that it was a nice dinner and we enjoyed ourselves, right Troy?"

Troy nodded, "Yeah, it was interesting but great. Anthony and Sasha are great kids."

Nate smiled, "So does this mean that I'm still considered to be your brother and we can still hang out? Because I'm sure now if I mention that I have to hang out with you, they're going to want to come as well."

Gabriella smiled, "Sure. Well goodnight."

"Goodnight," Nate kissed her cheek before walking them to the door, "Wait, I don't live here anymore. I can come out with you two."

Gabriella nodded. Troy, Gabriella, and Nate all left the house. Troy and Gabriella went to their car in which Troy was driving and Nate went to his car. Each car pulled away from the house going in two different directions.

~Inside the House~

"Why did you just sit there?" Maria was pissed, "You just sat there letting your son talk back at me and you just sat there."

"You want to know why I just sat here?" Greg stood up, "Because everything he said was true. I never wanted to give her up, you did. You always wanted a perfect family but wake up, there is no such thing as a perfect family and never will be. So why would I interrupt my son who was speaking the truth and had more courage now to talk back to you then I ever did 14 years ago with this decision. Look at her. She's a straight A student. She's beautiful. She's nice and the kids already love her. She was a daughter that we always wanted but no, just because she was different and needed money to have surgeries, we gave her up. So think Maria because I've had enough of this. I've had enough of pretending to be happy when really I'm not and don't even think about saying that I don't love Anthony and Sasha because god damn it, I do but I still have love to give for Gabriella. The thing is, I think I love them more than you do put together because I don't force them to do what they are doing. You do. So actually a part of me is happy that we gave up Gabriella because that means she didn't have to deal with us as her parents, actually scratch that, she didn't have to deal with you."

"Screw you," Maria shook her head, "Screw everyone in this family."

"Fine," Greg nodded, "If that's the way you want it. I want a divorce."

Maria looked at him in shock, "What?"

"You heard me," he shook his head, "I want a divorce and oh I'm going to fight to keep both of the children because I'm not having them live with you. You know, I've wanted to divorce you for awhile now but never had the courage to do it but after seeing Gabriella, I'm ready to do it. I'm going to call my lawyer tomorrow. Goodnight."

Greg was finally done with all of it. He walked out of the kitchen, went upstairs to grab a pillow and blanket bringing them back down and went into the living room and got comfortable on the couch. Maria watched him do it all in shock. She couldn't believe that her family was falling apart. What did she do? She shook her head before walking up the stairs to go into her room knowing that her family was done and it was all of her fault.

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"Well that was an interesting night," Troy smiled softly, "so uh I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah goodnight," Gabriella wheeled to her room and was about to open it but she turned back around, "Troy?"

Troy was at his door but he turned around, "Yeah."

"Thanks for coming with me," she smiled softly, "I don't think I would've been able to handle it going on my own."

"Don't mention it," he smiled, "I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

Gabriella smiled a real smile, "Well goodnight."

She turned her chair back around before going into her room closing the door. Troy smiled softly. _Maybe things will get back to the way things were meant to be. _He turned around going into his room as well. This was going to be an interesting week.

**Alright, it's official. This is the longest chapter of this story. Actually this is the longest chapter of any of my stories that I've written on here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I worked really hard on this chapter. I've been sick for about 3 weeks now and I've been writing this story with headaches so I hope you enjoy this chapter. I worked extra hard on this chapter. So tell me what you think? Montez divorce? Gabriella getting her real family back minus Maria? What do you think of Troy and Gabriella? Are things getting back the way things are supposed to be? Tell me what you think. Please review. It would mean a lot to me if I can get more reviews that I have been getting. So again please review and tell me what you think.**


	10. Winter Formal

**Again, I'm writing here because there are songs in this chapter that I do not own. Each song belongs to Lady Antebellum. The order of which they are in are "Can't Keep My Eyes Off of You," "All we'd Ever Need," and "Perfect." After you read this chapter, you may want to check these songs out to understand it all. I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**Chapter 10**

**Winter Formal**

"I can't believe he's taking her to the formal," Sharpay shook her head as she sat down at the lunch table.

Alex nodded as she sat down, "Yeah, I didn't even know that he liked her."

"Well everything changed so I guess he likes her?" Sharpay shrugged.

Taylor looked at them, "Hey maybe he doesn't really like her. I mean, she is the head cheerleader and he's the basketball captain, it's kind of supposed to be like that. He probably just agreed to go with her since he had no other choice since him and Gabriella are still not friends and practically everyone else is still treating him like the outcast."

"Yeah you never know, that's a possibility," Alex nodded, "I mean, who wants to go out with her? But anyways, where's Gabby?"

~With Gabriella~

Gabriella was sitting in the music room all by herself. She couldn't be in the cafeteria with everyone. She was tired of everyone saying hi to her because they feel like they have to ever since everything that went down with Troy. She sighs thinking about what Nate told her a few weeks ago.

"_Mom and Dad are getting a divorce," he looked at her, "you make Dad realize that he was strong enough to get out of that relationship."_

_Gabriella looked at him confused, "I caused the divorce? I didn't mean to cause any trouble at dinner that night."_

"_Gabs, you didn't," Nate shook his head, "you made Dad realize they him and Mom weren't in love as they used to be and she was different. He loved you Gabriella, he didn't want to give you up but he went with what Mom wanted but now things can be different. I think it's meant to be for them to be like this because they were never happy anymore especially for the past 5 years. When Sasha turned 2, it reminded Dad about you when you were that age and ever since then, he hasn't been the happy Dad I've known and that's when I realized how stupid I was to say that you ruined our family when really giving you up, ruined our family."_

_Gabriella had tears in her eyes, "What's going to happen with Anthony and Sasha?"_

"_Dad is going to try and take custody of both of them and give my Mom visitation rights," Nate wiped her tears, "now where is that Troy boy that you are in love with?"_

_Gabriella looked at him shocked, "What? Troy and I aren't even friends."_

"_That doesn't mean you can't be in love with the guy which I know you are," he smirked, "by the way since I'm your big brother, tell me what that boy did to you so I can beat the crap out of him."_

_Gabriella looked down, "It doesn't matter. Everyone at school already did it for you especially Chad. Nate, is it obvious?"_

"_What? That you love him?" Gabriella nodded, "Well yeah, I've noticed it at dinner and saw the way you looked at him with those sad eyes because I saw how much it was hurting you that you weren't friends anymore because you miss being close to him and now you are really hurting because you know that you have to hate him but it hurts to hate him because deep inside, you really love him and you don't know what to do."_

"_But how?" she looked at him shocked, "how can you know all of that when none of my friends can tell."_

"_Oh believe me, they know," Nate smiled softly, "it's kind of hard not to tell that you love him like that. That's why they are being harsher to him because they know the way you are feeling. Because whatever he did to you must really hurt you and it seems to me that you've been through it before and he promised he wouldn't do it either but did anyway and it hurt you more when he did it than the other guy because you were growing feelings for him unlike the other guy who you just liked as a friend. Am I right?"_

_Gabriella nodded not looking at him with tears falling down, "It's just too hard. It hurts Nate. I've been through it over and over in my life. First Mom and Dad giving me up, you keep breaking our plans, Mark leaving me out in the cold because he wants to be popular, and Troy doing the exact same thing when he said he wouldn't but the thing is, he did something worst that Mark never did and that was telling them the whole thing about me being a foster kid and why I was a foster kid. I didn't want people to know that, Nate. Half of the school was already hating me or feeling sorry for me and now every fucking person in that school is feeling sorry for me and acting like they are my friends when really they're not."_

_Nate scooted to the edge of her bed and grabbed her hands seeing her tears before giving her a big hug knowing she's been through a lot. He couldn't believe that he wasn't there for her when she needed a big brother the most. Gabriella cried in his chest._

_As she calmed down, Nate pulled back and lifted her chin for her to look him in the eyes, "Don't let the kids at that school get to you, alright? You have your friends, you now have me, and you have now fives and a little girl that will do anything for you, don't forget that. We love you and that should be all that matters. You need to show them the real you, not the girl that's hiding at that school because you and both know that there's more to you than you show at that school."_

_Gabriella smiled slightly and Nate hugged her again._

She held back the tears that were ready to fall again. She wasn't going to cry again for them. She was done crying for the people that went to this school and Troy. Gabriella has heard that Troy was taking Brandy, the head cheerleader to the winter formal. She knew they weren't friends and that she shouldn't care about it but deep inside her, it bothered her like hell because she should be the one going to the formal with Troy Bolton.

Gabriella decided that she was going to go to the formal by herself, well not by herself but with her friends. That's all she needed. She didn't need anything or anyone else but her friends to be with her even though they all had dates. Sharpay was going with Zeke, one of the basketball players, Taylor was going with Chad who she's had a crush on for awhile, and Alex was going with Mason, another player that was on the basketball team. She had no problem going with them without having a date, as long as she had them.

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"Wow Gabriella," Sandy smiled, "you look beautiful."

Gabriella smiled softly as well blushing, "Thank you."

It was Friday night meaning it was the night of the winter formal. Gabriella didn't know how the night was going to go but she wasn't going to let anything get in her way from having a fun time.

The doorbell rung meaning her friends were here. Troy had already left before to go pick up Brandy. He didn't stay around to see what Gabriella looked like. He wouldn't be able to leave knowing she was going to dress beautifully so he had to leave beforehand. Gabriella wheeled out of her room, over to the door opening it to find her friends and their dates at the door with smiles on their faces.

"Wow Gabs, you look amazing," Sharpay squealed, "no guy will be able to take their eyes off of you when we get there."

Chad nodded in agreement, "She's right meaning you need to change."

"Chad," Taylor scolded but then smiled at Gabriella, "you really do look beautiful."

"Thanks girls," Gabriella smiled looking at them, "you all look great as well even the guys."

"I know, right?" Alex giggled, "They clean up pretty good."

Mason chuckled at his date's silliness, "Alright people, party awaits. Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just tell Sandy that I'm leaving," Gabriella turned her chair around to call Sandy, "Sandy, we're leaving."

Sandy came out to the hallway and gave Gabriella a hug and then pulled away, "Alright guys, have a fun time and you all better watch Gabriella or I'll send the boys after you, especially after you Chad."

Everyone giggled and chuckled at Chad's scared face. He nodded quickly knowing that the boys would hunt him down and he didn't want that. Chad grabbed onto Gabriella's handles and pulled her out of the house fast and wheeled her over to the car. Gabriella giggled at how scared he was of the boys. She always loved how everyone knew that too and they would use that for Chad to be a good boy.

"I still can't believe you are scared of them," Gabriella giggled as she slowly transferred into the car.

"Are you kidding me?" Chad shook his head like she was nuts, "You do remember what they did to me when I destroyed that soccer ball? I'm not letting that happen again."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "Oh so you don't want your baby to get shaved again? What was the big deal? It was actually a good change and plus hair grows back."

"Yeah well it didn't grow back fast enough," Chad groaned as he placed Gabriella's wheelchair in the trunk while everyone laughed at him before getting into the car with Gabriella.

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Troy was at the formal already with his date, Brandy who he didn't really want to take to the formal but there was no one else he could've asked. Well, he could've asked Gabriella but that would probably have ruined his chances of being her friend again. He tried to stay out of her way since the dinner with her family so she can see that he's trying but then again, what if that made it worse? He couldn't really worry about that right now. Right now, all he knew was Brandy was the most boring person to go to a dance with and the formal just started. So far, she only talked to her friends and not even really paid any attention to him not that he really mind because he didn't really want to be there with her but it would've been nice to actually have someone's attention.

Then suddenly the doors opened and a group of people walked/wheeled in. He looked at those people realizing that they were his old friends, well at least four of them were. He then saw her. The girl who had his heart. The girl he has been wanting since he moved her but made a fool of himself and sent her away. The girl that looked way better than his date. That girl was no one other than Gabriella Montez.

Sharpay looked around and noticed Troy's eyes on Gabriella and she smiled softly knowing that they were into each other, "Hey Gabs, you got blue eyes staring right at you."

Gabriella looked at her confused but Sharpay nodded towards Troy who was in fact looking straight at her. She smiled slightly but then Troy looked away when Brandy walked over to them. Gabriella sighed knowing that this night wasn't going to be as she planned but it was worth a try.

"Hey Gabs, you want to go sit at that table?" Alex asked taking Gabriella out of her thoughts.

Gabriella looked at her friends and nodded, "Sure."

"It's hard to see him, huh?" Sharpay whispered as she was walking beside her and Gabriella looked up at her confused, "Gabs, we all know that you like him, well really that you love him and how much you're hurting. I think it's time for you to listen to your heart more than your mind. I know your mind is telling you to not forgive him because of what he did but at least he's trying to go back to the way things were."

Sharpay sat down at the table and looked at Gabriella continuing on what she was saying, "He's still not Mark. If he was Mark, he would have started acting like a jerk and not caring of what he is saying. Yes, the day your friendship died, he was harsh but he didn't know what he was saying. That was a onetime think. We all know how you feel about him and we don't want to see you keep hurting because of it so please do us all a favor and follow your heart."

Gabriella looked at Sharpay and then looked around the table seeing that they were listening to the conversation as well. She sighed looking at them knowing that they knew the truth just like her brother knew the truth. Sometimes, she hated the fact that she was easy to read especially when it comes to her friends. She just didn't know what to do. Yes, her heart was telling her to forgive him and be friends with him again and maybe more but her head was telling her that he could hurt her just like he did a month ago.

She was taken out of her thoughts when Mark walked over, "Um hey?"

The whole table looked at him confused until Chad snapped out of it, "What do you want Richardson?"

"I uh came over here to uh apologize?" Everyone looked at him in shock especially Gabriella so he looked at her, "I mean, I never meant it to get this far out of control. You know, him telling everyone about your secrets and then what happened that day when you guys ended your friendship. I thought I wanted to destroy you and I did but it wasn't the way I wanted. After everything that happened, it made me realize what a jerk I've been for the past two years."

"No really?" Gabriella rolled her eyes sarcastically.

Mark sighed, "I know you probably won't believe me but you have to know, Troy isn't like me. If it wasn't for me, Troy would probably still be your friend and you two would happy but I didn't like it so I had to get in the way but now I see that you're not happy, he's not happy. Actually no one is happy so I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry and I should've never gotten too carried away. Enjoy the rest of the night."

Mark walked away from the table leaving every shocked. Mark Richardson just apologized? They never thought that would ever happen. This made Gabriella think more about the whole situation. _How do I feel? I know I love Troy and it hurts hating him but he's over there with Brandy. What do I do?_ She kept thinking about this over and over again. There goes her night to just relax and forgetting her problems because that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and she knew it.

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Gabriella was now sitting alone at the table as her friends and their dates were on the dance floor dancing to a slow song. She took a sip of her soda before looking back out at the dance floor to see Troy and Brandy as well dancing. But to her, it didn't look like Troy was having that good of a time. Every couple of minutes, he would glance over to her and smile softly at her which she would look away because she didn't want to be caught staring at him.

Another slow song started playing and everyone stayed on the dance floor. She couldn't keep watching them so she just turned her chair away from them so she couldn't see them dancing. 'Them' mostly meaning Troy and Brandy. As she was about to take another sip of her soda, a male voice spoke to her.

"Gabriella Montez?"

Gabriella turned her head to her right to see a guy around Nate's age, "Yes?"

"Hi, you don't know me but I'm good friends with your brother," the guy smiled.

"Nate?" Gabriella was confused as the guy nodded, "Ok, it's nice to meet you?"

"I'm Trevor," the guy smiled, "but anyways the reason why I'm over here or at least this dance is because that's my band up there and Nate told me this was the school that you went to and also told me that you're an amazing singer."

Gabriella looked at him, "He did?"

"Yeah," Trevor nodded, "So he uh actually suggested that I would ask you to maybe sing a couple of songs with us? I mean only if you want to but I think it would be good seeing that you're alone over here watching some guy."

Gabriella glanced over to see Troy looking at her confused wondering who the guy was and she looked back at Trevor making her decision, "Sure."

"Really?" Gabriella nodded, "Ok then, that was easier than I thought it was going to be," he chuckled, "well just follow me."

Gabriella nodded before pushing her chair back from the table and following Trevor feeling eyes on her head knowing that it was probably Troy wondering what was going on but she just ignored the feeling. Trevor motioned to the ramp that was on the side of the stage where she pushed up herself. She looked around seeing everyone that was on the dance floor. The band stopped playing and Trevor took the microphone off the stand.

"Hey East High," Trevor started, "I know you're all like, why did you stop the music? But don't worry we're going to have music very shortly. We have a special guest that is going to be singing to you and you all know her. I believe her name is Gabriella Montez."

Everyone in the room gasped which caused all eyes go on Gabriella which caused her to get nervous. _Am I really going to do this?_ She looked to see Troy smiling at her and she knew right then and there that she had to do this.

"So, if you would, please welcome Gabriella," he looked at Gabriella before placing the mic back onto the stand lowering it for her, "Gabriella, they are ready for you."

She gulped before going to the center of the stage but she looked at Trevor, "Uh, do you have a guitar that I could use?"

"Sure," Trevor smiled before grabbing an extra guitar to give to her, "here you go."

"Thank you," Gabriella smiled placing the arm strap over her neck and looked out in the audience who were still in shock even her friends, "Um I actually wrote this song so uh I hope you like it."

She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and started strumming the guitar for the music as the other part of the band started to play and opened her eyes when it came to the point for her to sing.

_I know that the bridges that I've burned_

_Along the way_

_Have left me with these walls and these scars_

_That won't go away_

_And opening up, has always been the hardest thing_

_Until you came_

Gabriella closed her eyes when it came to this part.__

So lay here, beside me, just hold me, and don't let go

_This feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known_

She then opened her eyes and looked at Troy while singing this part.

_And I just can't take my eyes off you_

_And I just can't take my eyes off you_

__

I love when you tell me that I'm pretty

_When I just wake up_

_And I love how you tease me when I'm moody_

_But it's never too much_

_I'm falling fast, but the truth is I'm not scared at all_

_You climbed my walls_

Gabriella closed her eyes once again.

__

So lay here, beside me, just hold me and don't let go

_This feeling I'm feeling is something I've never known_

She opened her eyes again focusing on Troy who was listening to the lyrics and looked at Brandy.

"I'm sorry but I just can't stay with you tonight," he then walked away from Brandy but kept his eyes on Gabriella.

_And I just can't take my eyes off you_

_And I just can't take my eyes off you_

__

Off you

_Off you_

__

So lay here, beside me, just hold me and don't let go

_And oh this feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known_

_And I just can't take my eyes off you_

_And I just can't take my eyes off you..._

Gabriella closed her eyes taking a deep breath holding her tears in. Everyone in the room didn't know what to do. They were shocked. But then Gabriella's friends broke into some clapping and then the whole room started and cheering. Gabriella opened her eyes to see everyone cheering so she decided to do another song.

"I guess I'll do another song but uh I'm going to need a male part," she looked at Trevor who had an idea in his head.

"Sure I'll do it," he smiled when he saw Gabriella getting the band ready for the next song but he snuck off the stage taking a mic with him walking over to Troy, "You Troy Bolton?"

"Uh yeah," Troy looked at him confused, "What's up?"

"You're going to need this," Trevor smiled giving the mic to Troy leaving him confused, "when you see Gabriella look at me to continue the song or just look like she's waiting, you start singing."

"Wait but I don't sing," Troy looked at him confused, "and I don't know the song."

Trevor shook his head and gave him a sheet music, "Nate had a feeling she was going to sing this song so he gave me this. Now I know you can sing, you look like a guy who can so have fun and get the girl you've been wanting. Later."

Trevor raced off before Troy could back down from his idea. Troy was left confused before looking at the sheet music studying the lyrics and realizing what they meant. He looked up to see Gabriella getting ready and he knew he had to get ready knowing this was going to surprise her.

Gabriella looked at Trevor who just got back on the stage and he motioned that he was ready. She nodded and looked at the band who started playing as she started strumming her guitar, then started singing.

_Boy it's been all this time _

_And I can't get you off my mind _

_And nobody knows it but me _

__

I stare at your photograph 

_Still sleep in the shirt you left _

_And nobody knows it but me_

__

Every day I wipe my tears away 

_So many nights I've prayed for you to say.. _

_I should've been chasing you_

_I should've been trying to prove_

_That you were all that mattered to me _

__

I should've said all the things 

_That I kept inside of me _

_Maybe I could've made you believe _

_That what we had was all we'd ever need _

Gabriella looked like she was done with her first part but kept playing so Troy took a deep breath to start singing his part.__

My friends think I'm moving on

_But the truth is I'm not that strong_

_And nobody knows it but me _

Everyone turned around to look at him in shock even Gabriella but she kept playing the guitar. She didn't know what was going on but she sort of liked it. She did picture the male part of this song be sung by Troy so she guessed it was a nice surprise.

__

I've kept all the words you've said 

_In a box underneath my bed _

_And nobody knows it but me _

__

But if you're happy 

_I'll get through somehow_

__

But the truth is 

_I've been screaming out.. _

__

I should've been chasing you 

_I should've been trying to prove _

_That you were all that mattered to me _

Troy walked forward still singing as he reached the stage and got helped up the stage by Trevor who was smiling knowing Nate was going to so owe him later.

__

I should've said all the things

_That I kept inside of me _

_Maybe I could've made you believe_

_That what we had was all we'd ever need _

__

It was all we'd ever need 

_Gabriella:_

_Ohh_

_I thought it was all we'd ever need_

Troy:

_I should've been chasing you  
_

_Gabriella:_

_You should've been trying to prove _

_Troy:_

_That you were all that mattered to me _

_Gabriella:_

_You should've said all the things_

_Troy:_

_That I kept inside of me_

_Gabriella:_

_And maybe you could've made me believe _

_Troy:_

_That what we had, girl _

_Gabriella:_

_Ohh that what we had_

_Troy:_

_What we had _

_Both:_

_It was all we'd ever need_

_It was all we'd ever need…_

The band kept playing until the end but Gabriella looked up to look Troy in the eyes and Troy looked down at Gabriella. **It's like the moment after Breaking Free in High School Musical. **They smiled softly at each other as everyone started cheering like maniacs especially their friends. They looked out to see everyone smiling and then looked to the side to see Mark who was also smiling before they looked at each other. Troy leaned down to kiss Gabriella on the cheek and then whispered in her ear.

"I think it's time to get this party jumping," he grinned as he saw Gabriella's face.

Gabriella smirked, "I thought I already did."

"Oh believe me you did, but I think we need some jumpy music now," he grinned before taking the mic again, "Who's ready to party?"

The whole placed cheered and the band looked at him like he was crazy. Troy shrugged as he winked at Gabriella who giggled. She knew from this moment on, things were going to be ok. How did that happen so fast? She looked at Troy who was talking to the band and was smirking as he walked over to Gabriella to give her a piece of paper of what she's going to sing.

"Perfect day?" she looked at him shocked, "But how?"

Troy smiled, "I have my ways now get the party jumping Gabs."

She smiled as she playfully rolled her eyes as he jumped off the stage to give her some space as the band started play and she started to sing.

_Went walking through town just the other day_

_With nothing much to do_

_As the sun came breaking down through the clouds_

_I'd never seen the sky so blue_

__

I saw a Cajun man with a red guitar

_Singing on the side of the street_

_I threw a handful of change in his beat-up case_

_And said play me a country beat_

_And it sounded like_

__

Met up with some friends outside of town

_They were headed towards the lake_

_I hopped into the back of a jacked up Jeep_

_Felt the wind upon my face_

__

We got to the spot and the sun was hot

_Everybody was feeling fine_

_So when we jumped on in for a mid-day swim_

_And we lost all track of time_

__

It was a perfect day

_What I'd give if I could find a way to stay_

_Lost in this moment now_

_Ain't worried about tomorrow_

_When you're busy living in a perfect day_

__

As the moon came out and the fire burned

_Everybody was singing along_

_To some Ramblin Man, a little Curtis Lowe_

_And all them feel good songs_

__

We danced all night without a care

_No place we'd rather be_

_Cause these are the days well talk about_

_When we lived so wild and free_

__

It was a perfect day

_What I'd give if I could find a way to stay_

_Lost in this moment now_

_Ain't worried about tomorrow_

_When you're busy living in a perfect day_

__

We were sitting in the sand as he grabbed my hand

_Then he leaned in for a kiss_

_I couldn't help but think with the stars above_

_It don't get much better than this_

__

It's a perfect day

_What I'd give if I could find a way to stay_

_Lost in this moment now_

_Ain't worried about tomorrow_

_When you're busy living_

_Feels like dreaming_

_Slowly drifting through this perfect day_

_Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na-Na-na_

"And that is how we rock!" Trevor screamed into the mic as the music stopped, "Now we're going to let Gabriella go as I believe she still has some business to take care of."

Gabriella smiled as she rolled down the ramp and over to where Troy was, "Hi."

"Hi," he smiled and stuck his hand out, "my name is Troy Bolton, the biggest jackass that ever lived and is very sorry for everything he has done."

She rolled her eyes but giggled at his silliness as she took his hand, "I'm Gabriella Montez, the easy forgiving girl for a guy I can tell is very sorry for everything he has done."

Troy chuckled and knelt down to her size so he could look in her eyes, "So are we good?"

Gabriella pretended to think and giggled at Troy's face, "Yeah I guess we're good."

"Finally," he hugged Gabriella so tight she couldn't breathe, "That was the worst month and a half of my life."

Gabriella giggled pulling back, "So was this worst than your parents and sister dying?"

"Ok so not the worst but close to it," he chuckled as he stood up and held his hand out, "May I have this dance?"

"Of course you may," Gabriella giggled taking his hand.

Troy smiled bringing Gabriella over to the dance floor and started dancing with her. Sharpay and the gang smiled at them knowing that Gabriella was happy again. But this doesn't mean that Troy Bolton is getting forgiven so easily by them but they knew that Gabriella was happy now and that's all that matters. Now the last thing on their mind is: When will there be a Troyella?

**Ok now this is the longest chapter that I've written so far. I think I'm soon going to stop saying that but this chapter deserved a long chapter. So tell me, did you like it? Of course you did..lol..Troy and Gabriella are friends again. What's not to like? Haha. Will there ever be a Troyella? Tell me what you thought of this chapter by writing a review.**


	11. Comfort

**I'm sorry this is late but I had writer's block and started another story but I asked people for ideas and I want to thank Bluebell140 for the idea for this chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 11**

**Comfort**

"Gabby!" Aiden started jumping on her bed to wake her up.

Gabriella groaned, "Aiden, go back to bed. It's Saturday."

"But someone is here for you," she opened her eyes to look at him confused. "She said her name was Maria Montez or now Maria Lopez?"

Gabriella woke up immediately. Why was she here? Did she want to talk about what happened at the dinner a few weeks back? Everything was all so confusing.

"Ok, thank you." Aiden nodded before jumping off the bed about to leave the room, "Oh and Aiden, don't mention that she's here to Troy and stay upstairs."

Aiden then again nodded before walking out of the room. Ever since the winter formal, Troy and Gabriella were getting back the way things were before he was popular. He was starting to gain respect from everyone again include the gang. Mark has stayed away from them knowing that he hasn't been forgiven yet and probably will not be. Gabriella doesn't want Troy to know that Maria is here because he's going to want to be with them since the last time they were together; he wasn't able to help her because they weren't friends but now that they are, he would pounce on the woman.

She sighed before pulling the blanket off of her. She knew she didn't have time to put on regular clothes so she decided to just stay in her pajamas. She then slowly transferred into her chair trying not to make any sounds so Troy wouldn't hear her knowing that he was still sleeping. Gabriella really didn't want him to know but knew he would find out soon but didn't want to be when they were talking because she had a feeling this wasn't going to be good.

Gabriella wheeled out of her room and took a deep breath seeing Troy's door closed before wheeling towards the living room seeing Maria looking around the living room at all of the pictures.

"Maria?"

Maria Mon…Lopez has turned around to see Gabriella, "Hello Gabriella."

"Hi," Gabriella felt the tension between them and knew this wasn't going to end up well, "how are you?"

"I'm not doing so great and you know why," she glared at Gabriella.

Gabriella knew what she was talking about, "I'm terribly sorry to hear about you and Dad divorcing. When Nate told me, I blamed but he told me that I had no reason to but if I did anything wrong that caused it, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to."

"You should feel sorry because it was your entire fault," Maria kept glaring at her as she crossed her arms, "If you haven't come to dinner that night, everything would've been fine. Greg wouldn't want you to be in his life again. You're even taking Anthony and Sasha away from me because they always want to see you and never me. In court, I only won visitation rights for them but whenever I do get to see them, they don't want to or they're busy or they're with you and Nate. All because you came to dinner that night."

Gabriella shook her head knowing that there was more there and she wanted to hear it, she was waiting to hear everything since she was two years old and now was her chance, "Let me get things straight! I didn't want to be at your house. Nate did. He talked me into it. He wanted me to be there and begged me because I was going to dump him. I was sick of him ditching our special days and his promises so I was going to end things but he's the one that asked me to come so don't bring this all out on me."

"Oh so my plan was working, huh?" she smirked.

Gabriella eyes widened and gasped, "It was you. It was you that made him ditch me all the time. But why? It wasn't like you had to see me."

"Because you were already ruining my family," Maria shook her head, "I gave you up to have a perfect family and I was finally getting one and then Nate spilled that he came to see you two years ago and wanted to be in your life. I couldn't take it so I started making sure that he had to do something with us and knew he couldn't say no so there you have it. Anything else you want to know why I'm here?"

Gabriella glared at her mother, "Yeah why are you here?"

"Oh why am I here?" Maria smirked, "I'm here to blame you for my divorce which I've already did, have you figure out about Nate, and oh one last thing make you realize what a mistake I made in having a daughter like you."

"Like you didn't make that any clear at the dinner or the first two years of my life," Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well if I knew what the outcome of having a bitch of a daughter like you, I would've aborted you and had no problem with it," Gabriella looked at her shocked as tears started coming to her eyes, "you may think people like you but really you're just a goody-two-shoes handicap who thinks she can get whatever she wants. If Greg and Nate wants to have you in their lives then so be it but I will not have you destroy the lives of my precious Anthony and Sasha if I had anything to do with it."

"Oh yeah and how can you do that when Dad has custody of them, huh?" Gabriella wasn't letting her win even though everything she was saying was having her eyes filled up with tears, "Like you said, they don't want to see you when you're allowed to see them. Back to the Nate thing before about how he wanted me back in his life, he has the right because he was 19 and an adult who doesn't need his bitch of a mother to tell him what to do. Plus there is no such thing as a perfect family, which I remember perfectly clear, that's what Nate told you when I was in the living room. Don't think I wasn't listening at what you were talking about. I heard everything and I know Dad didn't want to give me up and they both tried to tell you what you were saying was all wrong which was."

"You know what," Maria shook her head, "Forget you, forget Greg, forget Nate, forget the whole fucking family. I'm done with all you people especially you fucking disabled handicapped goody-two-shoes bitch. I wish you were never born. I wish I never even knew you existed that I if had a chance to abort you, I would've have needed to because I wouldn't have known you. Goodbye Bitchella which should've been your name in the first place."

Maria fumed out of the room and slammed the door shut. Gabriella was sitting there with tears falling down her cheeks and they weren't going to stop anytime soon. As soon as the door slammed, Aiden ran down the stairs and into the living room to see Gabriella.

"Gabby?"

Gabriella looked at him shaking her head before racing out of the kitchen into her room locking the door and went into the bathroom. She transferred down out of her chair to lean against the bathtub moving her arms to grab her legs to move them close to her as she cried letting all the tears out.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

"Troy," Aiden was trying to waking Troy up by shaking him, "Troy…Troy…TROY!"

Troy jumped up from him screaming his name and hit his head on the headboard. He groaned as he rubbed his head before opening his eyes seeing Aiden looking at him.

"What Aiden?" Troy closed his eyes a little bit, "Can't you see that I was asleep?"

"It's important," Aiden looked at him really worried, "it's about Gabriella."

Troy's eyes opened right away, "What happened?"

"Some woman named Maria Montez, or now is Maria Lopez came to talk to her," Troy's eyes widened, "she told me not to wake you up to tell you and to go upstairs but then I heard yelling, then the door slammed, and I ran down the stairs to see Gabriella crying her eyes out. I wanted to see if she was ok but she shook her head at me and then wheeled away to her room but it's locked."

"Alright buddy, thanks for telling me," Troy started getting up, "by the way, where is Sandy?"

"Remember, she's working all day today," Troy nodded, "Will Gabby be ok?"

"I'll make sure of it, ok?" Aiden nodded, "Now go back upstairs and get some rest while I go try and help her."

Aiden nodded once again as he left Gabriella's room. Troy was beyond worried now. Maria must have said some harsh stuff for Gabriella to lock herself in the room. If the room is locked, did she lock the bathroom? He looked at the bathroom door noticing that it's closed and one of the rules was not to go in the bathroom unless the door was opened but he needed to be with Gabriella.

He put his ear up to the door and heard crying meaning Gabriella was in the bathroom. Troy then reached his hand down to the knob of the door and slowly turned it to find that it was unlocked so he slowly pushed it opened to find a crying Gabriella leaning against the bathtub. His heart broke just then seeing her like she is.

He walked slowly over to her and bent down on his knees and whispered, "Gabs?"

Gabriella looked up a little to see Troy kneeling there, "Troy?"

"Yes sweetie, I'm here," he slowly moved next to her and placed his arm around her shoulders, "What happened?"

Gabriella slowly moved to cuddle up to Troy as she tried to tell him, "S-s-she s-said i-f s-she knew what was going to happen, she would've had an a-a-a…"

"A what Gabs?" Troy looked down to Gabriella.

She looked up so he could see the tears coming down her cheeks, "an abortion."

Troy's eyes widened with anger. How could she say that to her? Gabriella did not deserve that. He looked down again and kissed her head knowing there was more to it than just that.

"What else did she say?"

Gabriella shook her head not wanting to say anything else and just placed her head on Troy's chest wanting to be held. That's all she wanted at this moment. Troy looked down at her once again and saw that, that's all she wanted, he decided he won't push her until she's ready.

"Come on, this isn't good for your back, leaning on a bathtub," he slowly moved Gabriella off of him before standing up, then reaching down picking her up bridal style, opening the door that lead to her room and brought her over to her bed placing her on it, "how's that?"

"Better," Gabriella still had tears falling down her cheeks, "can you lay with me?"

"Of course," Troy smiled before getting as close as he could to her before wrapping his arms around her, "Comfy?"

Gabriella cuddled a little more to Troy as she nodded as the tears started to slow down. Troy stroked her hair and leaned down kissing her forehead.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

Troy and Gabriella were in the backyard watching the boys. Gabriella was still not herself and Troy knew that, that's why he decided it was a good idea to be outside.

Troy looked at Gabriella, "How are you doing?"

"Better than before," she smiled softly, "thank you."

He smiled at her before moving his lawn chair closer to her wheelchair. She smiled softly before placing her head on his shoulder. He placed his arm around her shoulder. They felt right at this moment. They both wish they could stay like this without drama but also not just as friends but, maybe even more.

"Troy, I think you should know what else she said to me," she picked her head off of his shoulder looking at him while they turned their chairs so they are facing each other.

Troy took her hand and looked her in the eyes, "Only if you're ready to tell me. I don't want to force you."

"I want to," Gabriella nodded, "If I have to tell someone, I want you to be the first person to tell because I'm sure Nate is going to want to know about what happened but I don't think things will turn out right. Everything is just happening so fast. First Nate is back in my life, he misses all of our special days, Mark becomes a jerk, you come along and basically do the same, Nate invites me to my parents' house for dinner to find out that my Dad wanted me and not my Mom, then you and me are back to being you and me, and now all of this with my Mom. I mean Maria. It's just all happening so fast and so much. More happened to me in the past three months, than the past two years since Nate came back to my life but I was expecting that this was going to happen one day, I just wasn't expecting it to happen so fast."

"Woh Gabs," Troy chuckled, "That was a mouthful and that wasn't even about today yet."

Gabriella rolled her eyes giggling softly as Troy was trying to make a small joke to enlighten the mood which worked kind of, "I'm serious. I do want to tell you."

"Then tell me, I have all the time you need and the boys are very into the game they are playing," Troy nodded to the boys who were playing soccer, "just go slow and explain to me what you want me to know. There is no rush in it, whatsoever."

Gabriella took a deep breath as she looked at Troy who was still holding her hand but started stroking the back of her hand to give her strength. Gabriella took another breath before slowly telling him everything that happened. Troy was trying hard to keep his anger to himself as she kept going on about what her mother said. One thing he's happy about all of this is that she only has visitation rights of Anthony and Sasha and they don't even want to see her which is kind of funny to him. Troy accidentally let out a chuckle without realizing it.

Gabriella looked at him confused, "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, just something came into my head," Troy looked at him, "please continue."

Gabriella still looked at him like he was crazy. She started to keep telling him more of what happened when her mother was there. Troy was listening intently to what she was telling him and he was definitely beyond ready to pound Maria Lopez's face, too bad, he can't. He so wish, he was a guy.

"So that's what happened," Gabriella looked down, "I was a screw up that wasn't meant to live."

"Hey, hey," Troy scooted forward in his chair placing his thumb under her chin lifting her head to look in her eyes, "you are not a screw up. You are the most honest, smart, amazing, and beautiful girl that I've ever met. Don't let your mother get to you like that. She doesn't know who you are. She's just jealous that you had a family that made you the person who you are now who is amazing and will be more than she will ever be. Gabriella Montez, you are not a screw up and never have been. If you were, would I do this?"

Gabriella looked confused at him as there were tears in her eyes from his kindness before she saw him moving closer to her. She sort of lost her breath realizing what was happening. Troy Bolton was going to kiss her. Troy Bolton, the guy she liked for awhile was going to kiss her. She then closed her eyes but right when Troy's lips were going to touch Gabriella's, there was screaming coming from a couple of the boys that split Troy and Gabriella apart.

Gabriella blushed at what almost happened before looking at the boys seeing that there were only three of them, "Where's Aiden?"

**Ooh so close of their first kiss! But they got interrupted by the boys screaming. But there are only three boys? Where is Aiden? What did you think of what Maria now? Tell me what you thought of this chapter. Please review! **


	12. Aiden is Found

**Chapter 12**

**Aiden is Found**

Sandy rushed home quickly once she heard that Aiden was no longer in the backyard with Troy, Gabriella, and the rest of the boys. Gabriella explained to her that her and Troy were talking and then out of nowhere heard screaming and then there was no sign of Aiden.

"Are you all alright?"

Troy nodded, "Yeah we're fine. Well Gabriella isn't. She doesn't know what to do. She's just sitting outside hoping that Aiden is just playing a game on them and will just pop out from behind the bushes or something."

"I knew she would have the most problems about it after you called me to tell me," Sandy nodded, "Did you call the police?"

Troy nodded once again, "Yes they're on their way. I called them about 5 minutes ago."

"Ok good," Sandy nodded worried, "Where are the other boys?"

"They're in the living room trying to keep their minds off of what happened," Sandy nodded, "I'm going to go outside to see if Gabriella is ok."

Sandy smiled softly, "Thanks Troy."

"It's not a problem," he smiled before opening the back door that lead to the backyard and he stepped out seeing Gabriella sitting on the back porch like she was before, "Hey."

Gabriella looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "Hi."

"Awe Gabsy," Troy sat down in the chair that was next to Gabriella, "You know it's not your fault right?"

Gabriella looked at him as more tears filled her eyes, "Troy, what if something happened to him? What if he doesn't come home? Troy."

"Come here," Troy stood up unbuckling Gabriella's belt and picked her up bridal style placing her on his lap as he sat back down, "Sweetie, it's not your fault. We'll find him, ok? The police are going to be here in a few minutes. We'll figure all of this out."

Gabriella looked at him with tears still in her eyes. Then she rested her head on his shoulder. Troy wrapped his arms around her kissing her forehead as he rubs her back. He hated seeing her cry like this. Always has and now always will.

zvzvzvzvzvzvzvzv

Sandy walked outside and had a few police officers with her. She looked around and saw Gabriella on Troy's lap with him trying to comfort her which caused Sandy to smile. One of the officers cleared his throat which caused Sandy to remember that they needed to ask Troy and Gabriella a few questions.

"Troy, Gabriella?" Sandy saw them both look at her, "This is Officer Dragon and Officer McMahon, they need to ask you a few questions."

Troy nodded and looked down at Gabriella, "Let's get you back in your chair."

"No." Gabriella looked at the Officers, "Can I stay with Troy?"

Officer Dragon and Officer McMahon looked at each other and then nodded. Sandy smiled before walking back inside giving the four of them privacy. Troy kissed Gabriella's forehead before sitting her up a little on him.

"Ok first things first," Officer McMahon looked at them, "Did anything happen today that was out of the ordinary?"

Troy bit his lip before looking at Gabriella remembering her telling him that her Mom was at the house. All of this happened before Aiden went missing. Could Maria Lopez have anything to do with this? If she did, Troy Bolton would be up and beyond pissed off at that woman.

Gabriella looked down but then looked at the Officers, "My Mom was here."

"Your Mom?" Gabriella nodded, "Do you and your Mom get along?"

Gabriella shook her head, "Far from it."

"Can you tell us what happened with your Mom when she was here and what made you two to have a rough patch?" Officer Dragon was writing notes down from what they were telling them.

Gabriella nodded before she started telling them about her past. Troy smiled slightly happy for Gabriella to speak about what she's been through. He rubbed her back as she was telling them her story. She then started telling them about the dinner at the Montez's house and then what happened that day when Maria came to the house.

"Do you think she could have anything to do with Aiden's missing?" Officer Dragon looked at Gabriella.

"I'm not sure," Gabriella looked down, "I mean she could but I don't think she would go so low to do this but then again she did see Aiden and knew who he was. Aiden was the one that opened the door for her and came to wake me up because she wanted to talk to me. I told Aiden to go upstairs and not to come down but she still knew who he was. She took him!"

Gabriella started crying knowing that, that was a major possibility. Troy pulled Gabriella back fully into his arms to let her crying in his chest. He officially now hated that woman. He didn't care if they found Aiden with her or not but he knew that Maria Lopez was going to go down one way or another. The only way he can do anything to her is to find Aiden with her but he has to leave that up to the police. The main thing for him to do right now is to comfort Gabriella because she is now once again the broken girl she once was. He never wanted her to be this girl again. Everything was just getting back to normal and now this had to happen.

Officer McMahon saw how broken this girl was and knew he had to find Aiden so he spoke up, "Don't worry, we will find him. Do you have any contact number of where we could find Maria or someone who could possibly know where she is?"

"Her ex-husband," Troy nodded telling them the address of the Montez's.

Officer Dragon nodded, "We'll keep you guys updated. Keep your eye out and son, you better take care of her."

"I will," Troy nodded kissing the top of Gabriella's head whispering, "Everything is going to be ok."

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"Do you have an idea where your ex-wife could be?" Officer McMahon looked at Greg Montez.

Greg shook his head, "No I haven't seen her in a few days since the last time she came to see our kids. Is something wrong? Is she in trouble?"

"Sir, we think Ms. Lopez may have something to do with the disappearance of Aiden Matthews, foster brother of Gabriella Montez," Officer Dragon looked at Greg, "Aiden went missing just an hour after she came to speak to Ms. Montez. Ms. Montez has told us that it wasn't a very nice conversation. Ms. Lopez said some things to Ms. Montez that has upsetted her. Aiden was the only other person that Ms. Lopez has seen when she was at their house."

Greg was now shocked and covered his mouth. He made sure that the kids were upstairs when the police came. But now he was shocked that she would do this. He thought back to the last time he saw her and noticed that there was something up with her.

"You know the last time I saw her, I noticed that something was off about her," Greg nodded, "she seemed like she was planning something because Anthony and Sasha didn't want to see her because they were busy doing something else. I think she was blaming it all on Gabriella. Is Gabriella ok?"

Officer McMahon looked at Greg, "Sir, she's hurt because one of her foster brothers is missing and she is also hurting because of what Ms. Lopez told her today in their little talk."

Greg looked down shaking his head before sitting down on the couch that was in the living room grabbing onto the couch before placing his hand on his face leaning his elbow on his leg, "This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen. I never wanted to give Gabriella up, Maria did. This all started when we gave up Gabriella and then Nate, my son came home two years ago telling us that he was getting back into her life and it all went straight down from there."

"What do you mean from there?" Officer Dragon looked at Greg, "What exactly does that mean?"

Greg looked at them, "Maria didn't like the fact that Nate wanted to get back into Gabriella's life so she started getting Nate to stay with us when really he had plans with her. Then I'm sure Gabriella told you what happened at the dinner where Nate invited her to come to. Everything started coming crashing down. But I can honestly tell you that I don't know where Maria is."

Officer Dragon again started talking to him, "Is there any way you can contact her? Like a phone number in case there was an emergency."

"I have her cell phone number," Greg nodded, "I can call her."

Officer Dragon looked at Officer McMahon, who nodded at him, then Officer Dragon looked back at Greg, "We are going to have to set up a tracking system in here and then we're going to have you call her and try to keep her on the phone for at least three minutes. Can you do that?"

Greg nodded, "I will do anything to make sure that everyone is safe. I don't want Gabriella to have more of a broken life because of her Mom again."

"Ok, we will call the office to send a couple officers to come here to set up the tracking system," Officer McMahon nodded to Officer Dragon, who was already speaking to his walkie-talkie, "will the kids be ok upstairs for another half hour?"

"Can we bring them down here just to be safe?" Greg looked at him, "If Maria does have Aiden, she could always come here next to try and get Anthony and Sasha next."

Officer McMahon saw his worried face and then nodded, "Sure."

Greg smiled thankfully before getting up and walking out of the living room. He went up the stairs to Anthony's room and saw them sitting on his bed. Greg smiled walking over to them and tapped each of the on the shoulder and nodded for them to follow him down the stairs.

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Troy looked down at the girl that was in his arms, "How's my favorite girl doing?"

Gabriella looked up at him and smiled slightly, "I'm doing a little better."

"I'm glad," he smiled leaning down to kiss her on the forehead once again, "you know we're going to find him, right?"

Gabriella nodded, "I know. I'm just worried. I mean, he's like my little brother. It hurts to know that my mother could be the one that took him just to get back at me. I never did anything to her. She's the one that did things to me. Why do I always get blamed if something terrible happens?"

"Hey, hey," Troy looked her in the eyes, "I don't blame you. Nate didn't blame you. Your Dad didn't blame you. She has problems. She needs to get help. You're an amazing person Gabriella, you need to see the girl that I see every day and look forward to seeing every time I wake up in the morning. No one is blaming you for Aiden's missing so do not blame yourself. Please don't blame yourself."

Gabriella started getting tears in her eyes looking at Troy, "I try so hard not to, Troy. I really do but it's hard. But I just want to thank you for putting up with me today."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Troy smiled at her, "and I mean that. Even if we were still having that phase of us not being friends, I would still be here for you."

"I hated that phase," she snuggled up closer to Troy enjoying his arms around her.

Troy smiled slightly, "So did I. I shouldn't have done that to you after I promised not to be like Mark Richardson. Instead I became a worst him and I didn't think that was possible."

"Neither did I but," she looked up at him, "you're back now and that's all that matters."

Troy nodded, "I'm never going to leave you again."

"Don't make any promises," Gabriella smirked up at him.

Troy shook his head, "No way, I am making this promise. Because, if I break you again; do you know what Chad Danforth is going to do to me? Actually I'm not scared of him; do you know what those four boys will do to me?"

Gabriella giggled knowing he was scared of her four little foster brothers which caused her to get sad again because there are only three of them now. She sighed looking out in the backyard again still hoping that this was a game he was trying to play. Troy had a feeling she was going to get sad when he mentioned the four boys so he was ready for her to get sad again.

"Sweetie, he's going to be ok," Troy tried to comfort her, "I promise you that he's going to be ok."

"Stop making promises, Troy," she turned to look at him, "this is a promise that you probably can break because if he's not ok, I'm going to snap at you and I don't want to. So please don't make that promise."

"I'm sorry. I won't make that promise." he kissed her forehead, "want to do something to keep your mind off of things?"

Gabriella shook her head before snuggling back to Troy, "I just want to stay right here, with you."

"Your wish is my command."

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Officer Dragon and Officer McMahon used the tracker and they were able to find where Maria Lopez was after Greg got her to stay on the line for more than three minutes by arguing with her about the kids. So right now, they have five police cars surrounding a hotel and they were ready to break in. They already talked with the manager and he was well aware of what was going on.

"Ok, on my count Officer McMahon and I will go in the hotel while you two come follow us," Officer Dragon pointed to two other officers and then looked at the others, "you will stay out here in case she tries to make a run for it. If she makes a run for it, that means she is guilty and Aiden Matthews is somewhere in there scared so let's try not to scare him anymore than he already is, got it?"

They all nodded and got their guns ready. Officer Dragon looked at Officer McMahon as he started counting down with his fingers. Once he got to one, they and the other two officers started going into the hotel as the others stayed outside. The manager saw them and they nodded to him before going up the stairs. They looked around for each of the room numbers and were looking for room 236. Some people were coming out of their rooms but backed up slowly into their rooms. The others were curious of what was going on so they just stood outside the door watching the four officers looking for a room.

Officer McMahon saw room 236 and looked at Officer Dragon nodding his head towards the room. Officer McMahon nodded looking at the other two officers who got their guns ready just in case. Then Officer Dragon knocked on the door while Officer McMahon standing to the side on the other side of the door with the other two officers. The door slowly opened and there she was: Maria Lopez.

Maria saw that he was a police officer and her eyes widened before slamming the door which caused the police to know that Aiden was in there. They all looked at each other and nodded before Officer Dragon backed up and kicked the door down holding his gun out as well as the others. They looked around the hotel room by separating ways.

Officer McMahon heard crying coming from under the bed so the curiosity got the best of him so he walked over to the bed looking under it seeing that it was a boy so he put his gun back in his pocket, "Aiden?"

The boy opened his eyes to see someone looking at him which caused him to get even more scared. He started crying again.

"Aiden, it's ok," Officer McMahon nodded, "I'm a police officer. I came here to take you home. You can trust me. You want to go home?" The boy nodded before opening his eyes again which caused Officer McMahon to smiled, "Then come on. I'm going to take you home."

The boy slowly stopped crying before crawling over to the edge of the bed. Officer McMahon smiled giving him a hand to help him out. The boy came out of from under the bed and indeed, it was Aiden Matthews. Officer McMahon stood up and knelt down to pick Aiden up and looked around to look for the other officers.

"Where is she?"

Officer Dragon looked at him, "She's not in here anymore. She climbed out from the window. I warned the rest of the officers outside to be on the lookout for her. The other two officers ran out of her to go help them find her. I see you found Aiden."

"Yes I did," Officer McMahon nodded, "Shall we bring this little boy back home where he belongs?"

Officer Dragon smiled at Aiden who was still a little bit scared, "We should but what if they didn't catch her. What do we do?"

"We'll order security for Gabriella's home and the Montez's home, but that's only if they haven't caught her outside."

"Sir, we found Maria Lopez in the back of the hotel," one of the officers was speaking in the walkie-talkie, "we have her in custody."

"Thank you Officer Brown," Officer Dragon spoke into the walkie-talkie and then looked at Officer McMahon, "Everything is figured out now. Everyone should be safe so let's get Aiden home."

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"Brie?" Troy smiled as he looked down to see Gabriella sleeping then whispered, "You look so beautiful when you sleep. Scratch that, you are so beautiful every time I see you."

Gabriella smiled softly in her sleep which caused Troy's eyes to widen. Did she just hear him say that? Troy looked down again to find her still sleeping but was shifting a little bit. He panicked. She wasn't supposed to hear him calling her beautiful. Gabriella's eyes opened slowly looking up to see Troy's eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" She giggled, "It looks like you just saw a ghost."

"Uh no," Troy gulped looking at her, "it's uh yeah nothing."

Gabriella giggled again, "Awe are you nervous because I heard you calling me beautiful?"

Troy's eyes slowly closed from his widened eyes, "You really heard me?"

"Yep," Gabriella sat up a little so she had her hand on Troy's shoulder and was looking at him, "there is nothing to be nervous about you calling me beautiful. I mean, you did call me pretty before. Why the sudden nervousness wildcat?"

Troy looked at her, "Uh I don't know."

Gabriella's raised one of her eyebrows, "Right, I'll believe that for now but I'm going to get you to spill eventually. Oh and by the way, I like my new nickname."

Troy smiled as Gabriella turned and leaned back into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist to get her to be comfortable. He looked up in the sky. _That was a close one. _He looked back down to kiss the back of Gabriella's head.

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"Gabby!" Aiden screamed as Officer McMahon put him down in the backyard.

Gabriella looked at him with tears in her eyes, "Aiden!"

Aiden grinned as he started running across the yard to see Troy and Gabriella smiling widely. Aiden jumped on them hugging them. Gabriella had tears falling down her cheeks but they were happy tears. Troy even had happy tears in his eyes even though his legs are hurting with all the weight on him now.

Officer Dragon and Officer McMahon walked up to them with Officer McMahon speaking, "We found Aiden in Maria Lopez's hotel room. She left out of the hotel room by using the window but we had officers waiting outside for her so she is now in custody."

Gabriella looked at them as she was still hugging Aiden, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Officer Dragon smiled, "We're just doing our job."

Officer McMahon also smiled, "But you're welcome. You might want to call your Dad and tell him that Aiden is home safe and sound. We're going to go inside to talk to Sandy and we'll send the rest of the boys out to reunite with this kid."

Aiden pulled back from Gabriella and jumped off of her before looking up at Officer McMahon, "Thank you for saving me."

Officer McMahon smiled before kneeling down to his size, "You're more than welcome Aiden. Let me tell you what. Since I sort of became a little attached to you, how about I invite you and the rest of your family to come down to the police station to check things out?"

"Really?" Aiden's face lit up when Officer McMahon gave him a nod which caused Aiden to hug him tightly, "Thank you."

"Alright Officer McMahon, we need to go talk to Sandy about everything," Officer McMahon nodded before getting up, "I guess we'll see you around"

"Thanks again," Troy nodded to the police officers as they walked in the house, "So how are you doing buddy?"

Aiden turned around to look at them, "I'm doing pretty good. It wasn't like I was gone more than a day. That would've been worst."

"Well, we're glad you're back safe and sound," Gabriella smiled leaning back into Troy once again with a smile on her face.

Aiden looked at them with curious, "Is there something going on between you two?"

"What? No." Gabriella looked at him shocked but blushed at the thought, "Troy was just being there for me all day because you were missing."

"Uh huh, I might be eight and gone all day but I know when something is up."

Troy looked at Aiden, "Buddy, why don't you go inside and hang out with the boys?"

"They said they were going to send the boys outside."

Gabriella sighed, "They might not want to come outside because they are afraid that the same thing would happen to them so if I were you, I would go inside. You need to reassure them that you are ok."

"Ok," Aiden shrugged before walking to the door but turned around, "don't have too much fun knowing I'm back now."

Aiden winked at them before walking inside the house to get slammed by a lot of happy people. Troy chuckled hearing Aiden yelling at the boys to get off of him. Gabriella giggled as well before looking up at Troy who looked down at her.

"So uh do you want me to get off now?" Gabriella asked hoping he would say no because she liked sitting with him, "Since Aiden is back and I'm done being my emotional self."

Troy smiled softly before kissing her forehead, "You know, I'm quite comfortable like this. Maybe a little longer wouldn't hurt."

Gabriella smiled before turning her head to look out in the backyard. Troy also smiled placing his chin on her head. This is how things were meant to be. Aiden was back. Gabriella was happy. Troy was Gabriella's friend for good now. What more could they ask for?

**So what did you think? Are you happy that Aiden is back? So Troy and Gabriella are getting a little closer, heh? What is going to happen next? Please leave some ideas in your review meaning please review!**


	13. The Kiss

**If you have twitter, please follow me: (at)CGoerlich **

**Enjoy this next chapter:**

**Chapter 13**

**The Kiss**

"Hey Gabriella," Sharpay smiled walking over to Gabriella's locker.

Gabriella closed her locker before pushing her chair back from the locker and turned towards Sharpay, "Hey hey."

"So how are things with Mr. Bolton?" Sharpay giggled.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "We're good. We're back to the way things were before he started changing."

"That's good," she smiled at Gabriella, "and how is that little crush on him going for ya?"

"Sharpay!" Gabriella looked around to make sure that Troy wasn't walking around the halls before she looked back at her, "We do not speak of that here when he goes to the same school as us."

Sharpay giggled before she looked up to see that Troy was walking the halls. She then looked at Gabriella before giving her a little wink before walking away. Gabriella grew confused but then turned around to see that Troy was walking the halls which caused her to roll her eyes knowing what Sharpay was doing.

"Hey princess," Troy smiled as he walked closer to her, "how's my favorite girl doing?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes and giggled slightly, "I saw you last period and I'm doing just the same as I was doing then which means that I'm doing fine and what about you?"

Troy chuckled, "I'm doing great actually."

"Oh yeah," Gabriella looked at him with a curious look, "and why's that?"

"Because this girl is going to agree to go out with me tonight to go see the movie that she's been making me go crazy from hearing about it," Troy looked down at her, "you may have heard of it. Hmm I believe it's called, The Last Song."

Gabriella's eyes widened as did her smile, "You serious?"

"Why? You think I'm talking about you?" Troy smirked a little knowing he was going to enjoy this.

"Troy Alexander Bolton!" She glared at him, "you better change that face of yours and say 'I'm only joking princess, of course it's you who I'm talking about' now go on. Say it."

"You really are adorable," he chuckled as he fixed his backpack on his shoulder, "Of course I'm joking princess, it's you who I'm talking about taking to see the movie."

Gabriella smiled widely, "Yes! Thank you Troy."

"Hey it's the least I could do," he smiled at her, "you deserve to go see the movie."

Gabriella looked up at him and smiled knowing that everything was finally working out for her. The only thing that was needed to work out was this crush she had on the boy right in front of her. Actually it's more than a crush. She might be in love with him. That's right. You heard it. Gabriella Montez is in love with Troy Bolton. The thing is she's not sure he feels the same way.

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"Oh My God!" Sharpay squealed as she was on the phone, "You're going on a date with Troy!"

"Shar," Gabriella sighed rolling her eyes, "It's not a date. It's just good friends going to the movies. A movie that I've been pestering him to take me to see so, just don't go there."

"Gabby, Gabby, Gabriella!" Sharpay screamed in her ear, "Why can't you get the fact that Troy likes you? You like him! You two were made for each other. Please give it a try."

"Goodbye Sharpay," Gabriella hung up the phone before she heard another word coming from her about the whole liking Troy thing.

Troy chuckled as he leaned against the doorway, "Sharpay problems?"

Gabriella jumped a little as she looked at Troy, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just when you said goodbye to Sharpay like you wanted to kill her," he smiled before walking over and sitting on the bed, "everything ok?"

She turned slightly to look at him, "Yeah, she was just getting on my nerves."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing that it's just you and me later going to see the chick flick," Troy groaned before grinning, "but it'll be worth it to be alone with you without the four little brats."

Gabriella giggled shaking her head. She knew she was going to have fun tonight with just Troy. This was actually going to be first time in a while that they were doing something alone and it was going to feel good because that means they are back to the way they were.

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Troy and Gabriella were already in the theater sitting in the handicap section. Troy asked if she wanted to sit in one of the regular chairs but Gabriella told him that it was much more comfortable in her chair which he was ok with.

They were already thirty minutes into the movie and Gabriella was enjoying the movie. Troy, on the other hand was bored because of the chick flick. He looked at Gabriella who had a smile on her face which made him smile and looked at her hand that was on her arm rest. He thought about it and nervously moved his hand towards hers and slowly intertwined their fingers together. Gabriella eyes widened slightly at the feeling of his hand but kept her eyes on the big screen in front of her and slightly smiled.

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It was towards the end of the movie where they were having the funeral for the Dad. All the girls had tears in their eyes in the movies theater and Gabriella Montez was one of them. Troy stroked the back of her hand to comfort her knowing that if he was a girl, well actually it doesn't matter; this was quite a sad movie now.

Gabriella looked at Troy who mouthed, "Its ok."

She smiled slightly before looking back at the screen to watch the rest of the movie. It was now the part where Ronnie was at the beach house packing things up and decided to go outside where she finds Will standing there. Gabriella smiled knowing what was going to happen next since she read the book.

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The lights in the theater went off since the movie just ended. Gabriella wiped away the tears she had coming down her cheeks before looking at Troy who shook his head at her.

"You're such a girl."

"Hey, it was sad," Gabriella pouted slightly, "you have to admit that it was pretty good."

"Yeah for a chick flick," Troy chuckled as he stood up and turned to face Gabriella and slowly placed both of his hands on each side of her on her arm rests and bent down to look her in the eyes, "You know, you have pretty eyes."

Gabriella gulped slightly seeing he was so close to her, "Uh…thank you."

"You know how hard it is for me to stand this close to you and not kiss you," he smirked a little as he saw her getting nervous, "Brie I need to kiss you."

Her eyes widened a little but smiled slightly as she nodded slowly. Troy smiled before moving one of his hands up to move a strand of hair off of her face before slowly moving in and closes his eyes as he leans in and captures her lips with his. They slowly moved their lips with each other's before pulling back a few moments later and looked at each other.

Gabriella gulped looking at him, "Wow."

"Yeah," Troy nodded before looking around, "I think we have to go."

Gabriella nodded as Troy backed up from her and she turned but Troy grabbed her handles to give her a break which caused Gabriella to smile as he started to push her out of the movie theater.

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Gabriella looked at Troy as they were sitting on her bed. She thought about the kiss. Did he mean the kiss? Did he like the kiss? What was happening through that mind in his? Gabriella had all of these thoughts running through her mind.

Troy felt eyes on him so he turned to see Gabriella looking at him which caused him to smile, "Thinking about the kiss, are you?"

"Uh maybe," Gabriella looked down.

Troy moved closer to her placing his thumb and pointer finger on her face to lift her chin up so he could look in her eyes, "You don't regret it, do you?"

She shook her head looking in his eyes whispering, "I just thought maybe you did."

"I'm the one that kissed you," he smiled slightly, "because I wanted to. Gabriella, I've had this major crush on you since like the first day we met and it's been killing me to know if you felt the same way."

Gabriella looked at him shocked not knowing what to say. He felt that way about her. Troy Bolton liked her just like she liked him? Was this really happening?

"Now," she looked in his eyes, "do you like me?"

**Ha Ha. I know I'm evil to just end it there but I mean its fun to leave a cliffy. Besides, it will give me something to write about next chapter. I know this chapter seems so short than the other ones that I've written. To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to write for this chapter so it is short. I hope you still enjoy it. Please review your thoughts!**


	14. I Do

**Chapter 14**

**I Do**

_"Now," she looked in his eyes, "do you like me?"_

Gabriella looked him in the eyes and saw that he was being serious about really liking her. She gulped slightly not knowing what to say. Should she tell him the truth? Should she really tell him that she's liked him since they met? What would happen if they do start dating? All of these questions were going through her mind. But then why think of those questions when she knows that if she says yes to his question, she will be happy. She will finally be as happy as she always wished to be happy. She knew what she was going to say.

She smiled slightly before nodding slightly, "I do."

Troy grinned as he leaned forward to capture her lips once again with his but this time it went a little longer and it was filled with more passion. Gabriella placed her hands on his cheeks as he placed his hands on either side of her bed to push himself up to be closer to her. Troy smiled into the kiss before pulling away slowly.

"Would you want to be my girlfriend?" Troy smiled slightly as he was nervous and took her hands with both of his.

Gabriella giggled because he was so cute when he was nervous and she nodded once again slightly before saying once again, "I do."

Troy smiled before letting go of her hands and moved over to the bed which caused Gabriella to be confused until she saw him moving behind her placing his legs on either side of her. She smiled slightly as she leaned her body back into his and he wrapped his arms around her and she placed her hands on his arms before looking up at him smiling softly. Troy smiled softly as well as he kissed her forehead before placing his head in the crook of her neck as they went back to watching TV.

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It was Monday, meaning it was the first day at school with Gabriella and Troy being an official couple. Gabriella was so not ready to tell Taylor and Sharpay, especially Sharpay because she's going to freak out. First, she's going to be mad that she didn't call her to tell her about their 'date' and then secondly she will catch herself and start squealing which will cause everyone to look at them weirdly. Gabriella giggled slightly as she thought about what her friend would do when she tells them.

She took a deep breath before wheeling over to her locker to find the two people who she was expecting to be at her locker. She shook her head knowing they were there for one reason and that reason was to find out what happened with her and Troy, Friday night so she wheeled over to them but instead of looking at them, she decided to pretend she didn't see them so she just opened her locker waiting for one of them to speak first which of course was Sharpay.

"Oh My God, are you not going to tell us what happened with you and Troy-boy on Friday?" Sharpay crossed her arms in frustration, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to find out and don't you think I'm going to let you off the hook that you didn't call me all weekend to tell me what happened. Now spill."

Gabriella giggled as she closed her locker and turned her chair around to look up at her two friends, "What? Nothing happened. We went to see The Last Song, which by the way is an awesome movie. Miley definitely showed that she had real acting ability."

"Yeah yeah that's great and all," Sharpay was so impatient, "what happened with you and Troy is what I want to know?"

"Alright alright," Gabriella giggled, "Well we watched the movie, I made Troy admit that it wasn't that bad, then he kissed me, then we went home to watch TV in my room and he sort of told me that he liked me and asked me if I liked him and then I said yes. We kissed again and he asked me to be his girlfriend and of course I said yes again, then we got in a comfortable spot and then all weekend we just hung out with the boys. So, who's ready for class?"

Gabriella tried to wheel away from them after she just told them everything that happened. Sharpay had her mouth wide open realizing that she was right and then she looked at Taylor who also had her mouth open but turned into a smile as she nodded to Sharpay who nodded before they dashed off to catch up to her. Gabriella looked behind her to see that she was being followed and gasped before she saw a ramp and grinned knowing that they won't be able to catch her now so she sped up and went down the ramp as fast as she could.

There were people in that hallway but all moved out of the way when they saw Gabriella coming down the ramp and saw that Sharpay and Taylor were chasing her. Gabriella looked behind her to see that they were farther behind her then before so she slowed down a little but not too much as she went around the corner but got stopped but a bunch of guys who happened to be the basketball team which caused her to grin when she saw that the captain of the basketball team was with them.

"What on Earth are you doing?" He shook his head laughing.

"I told Sharpay and Taylor about Friday and now they are chasing me to find out more," she looked up at him with a cute smile, "Hide me?"

"Nah," he grinned as she saw Gabriella's pout but then smirked when he saw the two girls come around the corner as well, "why don't we just give them a show?"

She looked at him confused but before she could say anything, he knelt down on his knees and leaned in to capture her lips with his. Sharpay and Taylor grinned as they were kissing and they basketball team were cheering especially Chad. Gabriella pulled back slowly grinning.

"You're crazy, wildcat."

Troy shrugged slightly, "Crazy for you."

The girls 'awed' before Gabriella turned around to look at them before Troy stood up. Sharpay and Taylor smiled at her knowing that their friend was finally getting the happiness that she always wanted.

"Alright now that we had this moment," Troy went behind Gabriella to grab her handles, "it's time for class and to face the rest of the school."

Gabriella pointed down the hall, "Off we go!"

Everyone laughed at Gabriella's silliness when Troy started running Gabriella down the hall with everyone following them. Gabriella was finally having the life she wanted. Hopefully nothing will stop her from her happiness.

**Alright I know this is short but I just wanted one happy chapter…lol…I have to say I'm very happy with this chapter especially since I had no idea what to write but as I wrote the first part, it just came to me and I let my fingers do all of the writing. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I hate to say this but I'm running out of ideas for this story but I don't want to end the story so if you could please send me some ideas in a message if you have any. Thank you. Reviews would be nice so Please Review! **


	15. Christmas Time

**First I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a very merry one with your families and loved ones. Now back to this story. I know it's been awhile since a chapter has came out for this story but that's because I had no ideas for it but since it's the holidays, I decided I would make a Christmas chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 15**

**Christmas Time**

"GABBY!" Aiden was jumping on Gabriella's bed, "WAKE UP!"

Gabriella groaned, "Aiden go back to bed."

"But it's Christmas!" Aiden grinned as he kept jumping on the bed, "Boys! I need your help waking Gabby up!"

Gabriella groaned again once she heard him say that. Then the next thing she knew, there were four boys jumping on her bed. But then an idea came to mind so she smirks waiting for the best opportunity. She found that Tony was jumping close to her so out of nowhere she grabbed his leg to knock him down onto the bed and started tickling him.

"Ah!" Tony screamed laughing, "Guys help me! G-gabby stop!"

"Nope," Gabriella shook her head still tickling him, "not until the boys stop jumping on my bed!"

Tony looked at the other three boys who were still jumping on the bed laughing. Then Tony gave them a pleading look to stop jumping so they did. Gabriella smiled in victory as she let Tony go and he jumped off her bed running to the wall laughing slightly.

"Now, if you boys don't mind," Gabriella started sitting up on her bed, "why don't you try waking Troy up?"

"I'm already up," Troy smirked as he walked into Gabriella's room and high-fived the boys as they ran out of the room, "Thanks for the help boys!"

Bryan yelled back for all of them, "You're welcome!"

Gabriella gasped and glared at her boyfriend, "You had them do that?"

"Of course," Troy chuckled, "Its Christmas and you're just laying there asleep. How else were we able to get you up?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Oh I don't know. Shake me nicely and whisper, Gabriella it's time to wake up, it's Christmas. NOT HAVE THE BOYS JUMP ON MY BED!"

"Oh you loved it," Troy smirked as he crawled over to Gabriella on her bed and gave her a kiss on her lips, "Merry Christmas, sunshine."

Gabriella smiled at Troy knowing she couldn't stay mad at him for long, "Merry Christmas, wildcat."

Troy smiled looking in her eyes, "You know I got everything I ever wanted for Christmas."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"This year," Troy smiled caressing Gabriella's cheek, "it was you."

Gabriella smiled before leaning up to kiss Troy on the lips. Troy smiled against her lips. What he told her was true. Ever since his parents and sister died in the car crash, all he wanted was love and that is what he got. He got love from Gabriella. Even after everything they have been through and what Gabriella went through, she still forgave him and agreed to be his girlfriend. That was what he ever wanted since he moved in with her, Sandy, and the boys. He was happy and never thought he would've been since his family died.

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"Sandy, how many times have I told you?" Gabriella looked at Sandy, "You don't have to go through so much trouble in buying me anything."

Sandy shook her head, "Gabriella Anne Montez, and how many times have I told you that you were like my own daughter and I'm meant to spoil you?"

Gabriella giggled and nodded knowing not to go against Sandy. Everyone was finishing up unwrapping Christmas presents. There was only one present left and Troy went to retrieve it. Gabriella smiled seeing the boys play with the toys that she bought them until Troy came back with a box. Gabriella looked at him with confusion.

"I thought we opened all of the presents."

"Nah I was hiding this one," Troy chuckled, "this one is from me to you. Open it."

"Troy you didn't have to buy me anything," Gabriella sighed.

Troy chuckled once again, "Gabriella, you're my girlfriend. You bought me something and I love the Kobe Bryant autograph basketball which I'm still surprised that you were able to get it. But anyways it's what I do for being your boyfriend which is getting you a gift for Christmas now stop stalling and open it."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. It was tough getting that basketball for Troy. She then looked at the box Troy handed to her before she slowly started opening it. When she opened it, she realized that it was a jewelry box. So she opened the box and gasped as she found a diamond bracelet and a necklace with a 'T' pendant.

"Troy…" Gabriella couldn't speak as tears came to her eyes before she looked at Troy, "Thank you."

Troy smiled before leaning over to her to give her kiss on her lips, "It was my pleasure. Would you like help to put the bracelet and necklace on?"

"Yes please," Gabriella nodded handing the box towards Troy.

Troy smiled before taking the box taking the bracelet out first. Gabriella held her left arm out as Troy placed the bracelet on her left wrist. Next was the necklace. Troy took the clasp a part before placing it around Gabriella's neck as she lifted her hair. Then he attached the clasp again and kissed the back of her neck before she let her hair back down.

Gabriella touched the pendant before looking at Troy, "It's beautiful."

"Just like you," Troy smiled before pecking her cheek.

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"Daddy!" Anthony turned from the window, "Troy, Gabriella, and the boys are here!"

Greg smiled at Anthony's excitement before he walked over to the front door before opening it to see them coming up the walk way, "Well Merry Christmas!"

Gabriella smiled as they came to the door, "I hope you don't mind that I brought the boys. They wanted to come and Sandy said it would be ok since she has a lot to do today."

"Oh it's fine sweetheart," Greg smiled before leaning down to kiss Gabriella on top of her head before straightening back up, "Well why don't you all come on in?"

Troy smiled as he watched the boys run in the house. Then he went behind Gabriella to help push her into the house since she was holding a few presents in her lap. Greg smiled before closing the door behind them. Anthony and Sasha were already showing the boys, their new toys they got which caused Gabriella to smile knowing that everyone got along great.

"Where's Nate?" Gabriella looked around the room not seeing her older brother.

Greg smiled slightly, "He'll be here soon. He said he still had wrapping to do. I'm telling you, that boy needs to learn how to do things on time and not wait for the last minute."

Troy chuckled, "I used to be that way."

Tyler turned around and looked at Troy, "Troy you just wrapped Gabriella's presents this morning before we woke her up. We wanted to wake her up earlier but you told us to wait until you finished wrapping."

Troy gasped and glared at the boy when Greg just laughed, "Well you just got ratted out."

Troy rolled his eyes, "I knew my secret wasn't going to stay a secret for long."

Gabriella laughed as the front door opened to reveal Nate with bunch of presents, "Hey I think Santa made a wrong turn and dropped all of these off at my house instead of here."

Sasha turned around, "MORE!"

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Everyone finished up unwrapping presents. Everyone got more presents than they thought they would. Gabriella smiled looking around the room. This was her family. Sandy came to the house a few minutes ago. Sandy, Troy, the boys, Nate, Sasha, Anthony, and her Dad. This was the family that she has waited for, for a long time.

Troy smiled as he sat down next to Gabriella on the couch, "What are you thinking about?"

"Just how happy I am now," Gabriella leaned against Troy's side, "I finally got the family I wanted and Christmas is what brought everyone together. Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday and now this is the best Christmas that I ever have had."

Troy looked down at Gabriella, "I'm glad because you deserve the best Christmas anyone could ask for."

Gabriella looked up at Troy with a smile on her face. Troy smiled looking in her eyes before leaning down to capture her lips with his. Gabriella smiled against his lips. This was definitely the best Christmas she has ever had.

**So what did you think of this chapter? Sounds like an ending chapter doesn't it? It might be the ending chapter if I don't come up with other ideas. I'm not sure yet. I'll make a decision in a couple weeks if I will make this the last chapter. So for now either review it as the final chapter or review it as the story still going on. It's up to you. Review me what you think. Should I end it like this? Please review.**


	16. Author's Note

**Hey everyone. It's me. Yes, I know I haven't written anything for this story in awhile but I told you the last chapter could be the last chapter but honestly, I miss writing it. I mean, I really miss writing it…lol…So I'm thinking about bringing True Love back to continue. What do you think? In order for me to do so, I need ideas. Please help me out here. Once this story is back, I will have probably ten stories going on…wow…but anyways, I enjoy writing and I enjoy your feedback. So please, help me out and review or message me your ideas and if you want True Love back. Thank you!**


	17. Author Note

Hey everyone. I know, I know – you're tired of these author's notes coming from me but it's something that you all need to know.

It's been five months since I have written anything for Fanfiction and YouTube, even after I agreed to start writing up again and at that point, I was ready to write again. But 1) I have not had time to write much or even inspiration for my Troyella stories. 2) I have been focusing on some personal writings like novels, screenplays, and blog. 3) I also have been crazy busy with school that has definitely taken time away from writing here.

This author's not is supposed to let you know that, as of right now, I don't think I will be writing anymore on here but ya never know, MAYBE one day – I will come back on here. I will keep all of my stories up so you can always read them whenever you want, including on my YouTube page.

If you want to stay in touch with me, you can message me on here – go check out my twitter, blog, and personal YouTube page: all links are on my Fanfiction page. Go look there!

Once again, I am sorry and I hope you understand. If all things go as I plan, you will be definitely be hearing me in the near future [not on here but maybe out in the real world ]. I want to thank all of my readers and reviewers for everything they have done for me over the year.

So until you hear from me again, this will be the last time on here.

Thank you!

P.S. Remember to check out my blog! (Link on page's description)


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